Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ Kenya and Uganda have reaffirmed their determination to abolish tariffs and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to trade between the two countries, promising to fully implement their obligations under the East African Community (EAC) Treaty and Protocols. The fresh push follows a call by Presidents William Ruto and Yoweri Museveni, who last month charged their trade ministers with prioritising the removal of all barriers to bilateral trade, from congestion along borders to discriminatory taxes.
Added to this, Uganda Trade Minister Wilson Mbadi and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Trade Lee Kinyanjui convened in Nairobi on July 31, exchanging cumbersome lists of goods affected by NTBs. A technical meeting in Mbale, Uganda, from August 18 to 22 went over the lists and examined persistent inefficiencies at key crossing points, i.e., Suam, Malaba, Busia, and Lwakhakha.
The ministers have since decided to eliminate discriminatory excise duty, levies, and charges, realising that goods from either country will be considered transfers and not imports. Border officials were ordered to clear Malaba within 24 hours, such that traffic can be restricted to no more than four kilometres, while the Busia crossing is to be cleared and maintained at less than 500 metres of truck movement. The agencies must also work round-the-clock to put an end to delays brought about by several checkpoints.
Uganda has also pledged to address longstanding matters of weighbridge operations along the Northern Corridor, and both countries agreed to invest in key border infrastructure. These include upgrading roads, building bridges, finishing construction of the Suam One Stop Border Post on the Kenyan side, and installing a scanner at Lwakhakha.
For guaranteeing the sustainability of the agreements, the ministers instructed the operationalisation of Joint Border Committees to handle day-to-day issues and refer unresolved issues. They also undertook to continue interaction with the private sector to guarantee that policy reforms capture business realities. A joint technical committee will guarantee progress and monitor the elimination of NTBs.
Uganda is Kenya’s biggest trading partner in the EAC and the biggest consumer of the Port of Mombasa among landlocked nations. Uganda accounted for 65.6 percent of Kenya’s transit volumes in 2024, an increase from 62.3 percent recorded in 2023. Although exports to Uganda declined marginally to Sh125.9 billion from Sh126.3 billion in the previous year, imports also dropped to Sh37.7 billion from Sh41.2 billion. The Northern Corridor remains the regional lifeline of trade, connecting Mombasa with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
