Dar braces for EAC diaspora meeting to enhance cross-border trade

DAR ES SALAAM: TALKS on cross-border trade between Tanzania and Kenya will dominate the Kenyan Diaspora Business and Community Engagement Evening to be held at Wakahouse in Dar es Salaam on Friday, March 13, 2026.

The event, hosted by financial technology company Wakapay, aims to bring together Kenyans living in Tanzania alongside traders, founders, logistics operators, and business leaders whose lives and work span the two neighboring economies.

At the heart of the evening is a simple but powerful question: how can doing business across the Tanzania-Kenya border become easier, faster, and more connected?

Addressing reporters in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, Wakapay co-founder and Operations Lead Mr Francis Katambi revealed that the gathering is meant to create space where real experiences from the diaspora community can shape the conversation around cross-border commerce.

“Tanzania and Kenya have long enjoyed strong economic and cultural ties, but when you look at everyday business realities, paying suppliers, settling merchant payments, or supporting trade between the two countries, many people still face unnecessary setbacks.

“The evening will therefore bring together voices from across the diaspora and business community to share experiences, identify opportunities and explore practical ways to strengthen commercial connections between the two markets,” Katambi said.

He further noted that diaspora professionals and entrepreneurs play an increasingly important role in connecting opportunities across borders, such that their insights are essential in shaping solutions that reflect real business needs.

“This is not a formal conference but rather a vibrant community evening where people can speak openly, exchange ideas, and connect with others engaging in similar cross-border economic activities.

“Beyond the discussions, the gathering will also highlight how emerging financial technology solutions are helping to simplify transactions across borders and support regional trade,” he said.

Furthermore, he disclosed that Wakapay’s long-term vision goes beyond the Tanzania-Kenya corridor as they aim to make cross-border payments within East Africa flexible.

“Tanzania and Kenya are just the foundation…we are working towards expanding this infrastructure across the region so that traders, entrepreneurs and communities can move money and do business more easily across the East Africa block.

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“Again, participants at the event will have an opportunity to network, build new partnerships, and strengthen the connections that continue to drive trade and collaboration across the region,” he said.

Wakapay, a licensed and compliant fintech company, enables Tanzanian users and Kenyan nationals living in Tanzania to pay Kenyan merchants directly through Paybill and Till numbers, helping remove the delays and complexities often associated with cross-border payments.