Uganda’s Trade, Industry and Cooperatives minister Wilson Mbadi, Kenya’s Investments, Trade and Industry CS Lee Kinyanjui and other government officials when the two ministers issued a directive on addressing trade barriers between the two countries/ HANDOUTKenya and Uganda have committed to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) hindering trade between the two countries and fully implement trade related commitments under the EAC Treaty and Protocols.
This follows a directive by Presidents Yoweri Museveni and William Ruto who held a bilateral engagement in Nairobi in July this year, and tasked their respective ministers for trade to “urgently” convene a meeting to resolve all trade barriers between the two countries, including congestion along the major trade corridors, tariff and non-tariff barriers.
Uganda’s Trade, Industry and Cooperatives minister Wilson Mbadi and Kenya’s Investments, Trade and Industry CS Lee Kinyanjui convened a side line meeting in Nairobi on July 31 and agreed to exchange lists of all products affected by NTBs.
This was followed by a technical meeting in Mbale, Uganda between August 18 and 22 to consider the exchanged lists.
Technical officers from the two countries were also directed to undertake assessment at the borders of Suam, Busia, Malaba and Lwakhakha to ascertain the causes of delays and congestions , and provide comprehensive recommendations to the ministers on how to resolve the barriers during their meeting of August 29 and 30.
The ministers have since agreed to remove all discriminatory excise duties, levies and other charges of equivalent effects, while reiterating their commitment in implementing the directives of the Heads of State; to specifically decongest the borders of Malaba and Busia and address all barriers hindering trade between the two countries.
They have since directed that all products originating between Kenya and Uganda be treated as transfers, as the two countries move to remove all discriminatory excise duties, levies and other charges of equivalent effects.
Ministers directed border agencies to clear the congestion at Malaba border within 24 hours and reduce and maintain it not more than four kilometres, the same timeline given for Busia with a directive to maintain trucks traffic not more than 500 metres.
“Ministers directed border agencies to immediately address delays relating to multiple check points…border management agencies to ensure 24/7-hour operations of their respective functions,” a joint statement sent on Saturday reads in part.
On the Malaba weigh bridge, the Ugandan government has committed to immediately address issues related to the weighbridge operations along the major trade corridors as a measure to facilitating faster movement of goods.
“Both ministers committed to prioritise and mobilise resources for critical border infrastructure, including road upgrades and bridge construction,” the joint communiqué by Mbadi and Kinyanjui states.
Kenya will also speed up completion of construction works at the Suam One Stop Border Post (Kenyan side), and commission operations while road infrastructure at the Lwakhakha Border will be upgraded and a scanner on the Kenya side put in place.
Both ministers directed Joint Border Committees to be operationalised to resolve daily operational challenges and escalate unresolved matters to higher authorities immediately, amid continuous dialogue with private sector stakeholders to ensure trade facilitation measures align with business realities.
A joint technical committee will be formed to monitor and resolve all trade barriers between the two countries. Uganda is Kenya’s biggest trading partner and user of the Port of Mombasa among landlocked countries in the region.
In 2024, transit volumes to and from Uganda accounted for 65.6 per cent of total transit up from 62.3 per cent in 2023. Value of exports to Uganda was Sh125.9 billion last year, a drop compared to Sh126.3 billion the previous year.
“This decline was largely attributable to a decline in domestic exports of cement clinkers and palm oil to this destination,” the Economic Survey 2025 indicates.
Imports were valued at Sh37.7 billion down from Sh41.2 billion in 2023.
Mombasa serves the East African Community landlocked countries through the 1,700 kilometre-long Norther Corridor which runs between the port city, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern DRC–the main trade route in the region.
