NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 31 – Kenya’s Trade Minister Lee Kinyanjui and his Ugandan counterpart, Wilson Mbasu, met in Mbale, Eastern Uganda, on Friday and resolved to fully align all trade-related commitments with the East African Community (EAC) Treaty and related protocols.
This decision followed a directive from Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni during their bilateral engagement held in Nairobi from July 30 to 31, 2025.
The two Presidents had instructed their respective trade ministers to urgently convene and resolve ongoing trade barriers between the neighboring countries.
In a joint communiqué, the ministers agreed to decongest major cross-border points—Malaba, Busia, Suam, and Lwakhakha—to facilitate the seamless flow of goods, services, and people.
“It is a serious concern to receive numerous complaints affecting business at the border points. We are committed to restoring normalcy at all cross-border points,” said Kinyanjui.
Minister Mbasu added, “We support an on-the-spot check of the One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs). Facilitating the free movement of goods, services, and people is critical. Follow-up inspections will help confirm whether these posts are functioning as intended under the EAC framework and regional economic integration goals.”
On the elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to removing all existing tariffs and NTBs that hinder trade between Kenya and Uganda.
They also agreed to fully implement all trade-related obligations under the EAC Treaty and its protocols.In this regard, the ministers resolved to eliminate all discriminatory excise duties, levies, and other charges with equivalent effects.
To address border congestion, the ministers directed border agencies to clear the current backlog within 24 hours and maintain congestion at no more than four kilometers.
“The ministers further instructed border agencies to immediately address delays caused by multiple checkpoints and emphasized the need for 24/7 operations by all border management agencies,” read a joint communiqué signed by the both Ministers.
