The announcement, which comes as a huge boost to importers of powdered milk to Kenya, was announced on Wednesday in a letter to Kenya milk importers by the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

The letter signed by Harry Kimtai, the principal secretary at the ministry, suspended a notice that had been issued on March 6, 2023, banning powdered milk products from Uganda.

Issued by the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB), the letter cited the impending bumper rains for stoppage of the importation of milk powders, noting that the country anticipates bumper milk harvests as a result. 

As such, KDB had noted that the country would no longer issue new import permits until further notice as a means to cushion Kenya milk producers.

However, in his communication today, Kimtai says: “The stoppage issued through Kenya Dairy Board letter re KDB/MD/SED/1 VOL 5/58 dated March 6, 2023, is hereby suspended to allow for the dairy industry (import and export) registration 2021 to apply accordingly."

Kimtai also clarified that as a member of the East African Community, Ugandan exporters were entitled to sell their products in all EAC counties including Kenya.

“Take note that importation of products under the East African Community (EAC) protocol refers to goods being imported from outside the East African Community, while goods traded when in EAC are referred to as transfers,” Kimtai said.

The suspension of the ban on milk comes hardly days after the Minister of East African Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, wrote to her Kenyan counterpart Rebecca Miano protesting the ban imposed on Uganda.  

Kadaga said she informed Miano that if effected, the ban would be damaging to Uganda dairy industry and the spirit of the East African Community.