TAITA TAVETA, Kenya May 4 — Efforts to strengthen regional trade under the East African Community (EAC) agenda have gained momentum after senior government officials called for the removal of long-standing barriers along the Mombasa–Voi–Taveta corridor.
State Department of East African Community (EAC) Affairs Principal Secretary Caroline Karugu said she paid a courtesy call on Andrew Mwadime to advance discussions on easing trade bottlenecks affecting the key transport route linking Kenya and Tanzania.
The corridor, which connects the Port of Mombasa to the Taveta–Holili border post, is a critical regional trade artery facilitating the movement of goods between Kenya and Tanzania and further into the East African region.
According to Karugu, the engagement focused on enhancing efficiency along the route as part of broader efforts to support EAC regional integration and improve cross-border commerce.
She noted that the corridor continues to play a major economic role, with approximately 130 inbound trucks and 90 outbound trucks crossing daily through the Taveta–Holili Border Post.
Karugu further revealed that the route generates an estimated KSh 383 million annually, underscoring its significance to both county and national economies.
“This significant national contribution highlights the urgent need for stronger intergovernmental collaboration on elimination of trade barriers to unlock the full potential of this regional corridor,” she said.
Officials say persistent non-tariff barriers, including delays at border points, infrastructure limitations, and administrative bottlenecks, continue to affect trade efficiency along the corridor.
The discussions at the Taita Taveta County headquarters are expected to pave the way for coordinated interventions between national and county governments aimed at improving transport efficiency, boosting trade volumes, and strengthening regional integration.
The Mombasa–Voi–Taveta corridor remains one of the busiest trade routes in East Africa, linking the Port of Mombasa to inland markets in Tanzania and beyond.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to working jointly to ensure smoother movement of goods and to unlock the full economic potential of the corridor under the EAC framework.
