Kenya has postponed the possibility of negotiation talks over khat trade with Somalia until the elections of Horn of Africa nation takes place late this year.
Kenya Deputy President William Ruto has hinted plans by Kenya to know the fate of the current administration in Somalia after the election.
Ruto said Kenya has been making little headway in talks with Somalia since most of its leaders are now focused on elections set for late 2020 and early 2021.
He said Somalia’s banned on khat seems to be planning to exert pressure on Kenya as the ban is a bargaining chip in the longstanding maritime dispute with Kenya.
“There has been some misunderstanding between Kenya and Somalia over the maritime issue. They stopped the miraa business to arm twist us. We are in talks to separate the two issues but the electioneering is slowing the process. We hope once the elections are over, we will be able to conclude talks on resumption of trade,” Dr Ruto said.
According to sources, Somalia last month demanded to export Kenya goods including fish, rice, sugar, honey, meat and milk in exchange of Khat from Kenya.
Somalia also asked treat Somalia as an equal, desist from interfering with Somalia’s internal affairs, apologise for violating Somalia airspace.
Kenya was also asked to stop forcing flights from Somalia to make a detour to Wajir for inspection.
Somali had also demanded government-to-government talks after it snubbed a delegation of traders and officials from Kenya crops regulator—Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).
Somalia suspended importation of Khat in March after the country recorded its case of Coronavirus.
In recent months, Somali authorities turned back planes carrying Khat for violating suspension.
According Khat association in Kenya, Kenyan traders and Khat farmers have counted loses after the ban.
Kenya used to export up to 50 tons of khat valued at $2.5 million daily to Somalia prior to the ban.
