Uganda: Shoppers take advantage of Kenya’s weak currency

Ugandans are taking advantage of Kenya’s weakened currency this Christmas season, with many crossing the border to buy items at lower-than-usual prices.

Fabrics are especially popular, according to the Daily Monitor newspaper which says hundreds of shoppers are pouring into Kenya through the Busia border post.

“I buy a lot of clothes in Kenya with 1,000 shillings ($6.40; £5) but with the same money in Uganda I will buy only one cloth,” trader David Basalirwa told the newspaper.

The Daily Nation says this marks a big shift from the past when Kenyans typically crossed into Uganda to buy cheaper textiles.