Great African Cyclists Safaris team stranded at the Rwanda-Burundi border.
The team that includes cyclists, medics, coordinators and support staff from all East African Countries including South Sundan started their journey on August 1st 2021 in Arusha, Tanzania in a bid to complete a 6000km race in 55 days.
Their route from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda has been a great success full of engagements with government officials with integration, peace, unity and environmental conservation messages being share.
However, there plans to continue the ride to integration Into Burundi before getting back to Tanzania’s Capita Arusha has been hampered by the Burundian government’s restrictions at the border.
vomuhabura has learned that each team member has been asked to pay $100 for a covid-19 test which has become expensive to each team member.
The incident happened yesterday evening (1st August 2021) immediately when the team was handed over to the Burundian authorities by the Rwandan authorities.
“The team that comprises of 25 members is still at the border struggling to get what to eat, imagine they want us to pay $2500 for all of us. It’s so so expensive,” a member said to this website.
On being tipped off, the GACS coordinator in Uganda, Dr. Mugabi expressed his concern over the poor conduct of the Burundian government. He says app eat African countries ought to support the cause to integration. “Our engagement with the GACS team was to support them while within the borders of Uganda safely and securely which we accomplished well and handed over to the Rwanda segment of leg four of their planned safari, the Burundi authorities must ensure that the team is well taken care of through their country and safely see them to the next hand over in Tanzania. We expect each country to receive and support the safari team and accord them each and every need to ensure the successful completion of this noble pursuit.
The Pan African Federalist Movement in Uganda fully supports the integration agenda of the EAC and the cycling safari team is one important quick impact initiative towards popularization of the integration process to the general public. Every East African ought to support their efforts by offering them solidarity and patriotism,”
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