Rwanda: Rwanda has delisted Kilimanjaro Cement produced by Amson's Tanzania Ltd from preferential treatment as part of its anti-dumping campaign to check external competition threatening the domestic market. However, Tanzania Ltd has appealed to the East African Community (EAC) committee on non-tariff barriers against the decision on Rwanda.
Rwanda, once a net importer of cement, is slowly building production capacity among local cement makers. Cimerwa and Kigali Cement have increased production capacity and will soon be able to supply local demand and also position the country to start exporting cement. Kilimanjaro Cement now attracts a 25% import duty like other goods imported from outside the EAC and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Rwandan officials have alleged that Kilimanjaro Cement is imported from Pakistan and repackaged in local bags and so is not qualified to be treated as manufactured within the region. William Musoni, Commissioner Customs Services at the Rwanda Revenue Authority, said that before the government blacklisted Kilimanjaro cement, they had jointly carried out investigations with officials from the EAC Secretariat that confirmed that some of the cement exported from Tanzania is repackaged.