EAC embarks on upgrading Lwakhakha to One-Stop Border Post
The upgrade is expected to reduce the traffic from Malaba and Busia OSBPs boost trade along the Northern Corridor and improve cross-border security.
BUSIA, July 23, 2024 – The East African Community [EAC] together with Kenya and Uganda is in the process of upgrading the Lwakhakha border post into a One-Stop Border Post [OSBP] as part of efforts to reduce congestion at the Busia and Malaba OSBPs.
The transformation of the Lwakhakha border, shared between Uganda and Kenya into an OSBP seeks to streamline customs procedures, reduce clearance times for goods and vehicles, and enhance collaboration between border agencies from both Kenya and Uganda.
The upgrade is expected to reduce the traffic from Malaba and Busia OSBPs boost trade along the Northern Corridor and improve cross-border security.
The initiative is a testament to the commitment of the EAC in fostering and promoting cross-border cooperation between the two countries. By implementing the OSBP concept at the Lwakhakha border, the two countries are set to create a more conducive environment for trade and commerce, ultimately benefiting businesses and communities on both sides of the border.
Speaking during a site visit to review the status of the ongoing Feasibility Study of the Multinational Kisumu-Kisian-Busia/Kakira-Malaba-Busitema-Busia Expressway, on behalf the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Aguer Ariik Malueth, Eng. Godfrey A. Enzama, the Principal Civil Engineer at the EAC Secretariat, said that upgrading the Lwakhakha border post into an OSBP is part of the 256 – kilometre feasibility study of project funded by the African Development Bank [AfDB].
Enzama disclosed that the EAC is working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Lwakhakha border upgrading project.
“This collaborative effort underscores the shared vision of promoting trade facilitation, border security, and regional integration in East Africa,” said Enzama.
The EAC official said that elevating Lwakhakha to an OSBP and diverting some of the trucks to Lwakhakha will solve numerous issues such as congestion at both Busia and Malaba in addition to creating a shorter and alternative route along the Northern Corridor.
“Geographically, Lwakhakha is a shorter route to Kenya compared to Busia and Malaba in terms of mileage,” said Enzama.
He said promoting the Lwakhakha to OSBP, will enhance value addition and promotion of high-value exports to the regional markets; and increase employment among the border community youth, amongst other stakeholders.
The feasibility study set to upgrade the existing 25Km Lwakhakha – Kimaeti road starts at Kimaeti on the Webuye – Malaba [Kenyan side] and the 45km Mbale [Bumbobi] – Lwakhakha Road [Uganda side] at least to a two-lane, two-way single carriageway status, with wide shoulders, to enhance capacity and to accommodate current and anticipated future local and cross-border traffic volumes along the corridor.
The road is expected to deepen regional integration and cross border trade between Kenya and Uganda, and will offer an alternative route apart from the Busia and Malaba border crossings. The road is also projected to open doors to tourism.
The feasibility studies for the 256 km multinational Kisumu-Kisian-Busia/Kakira-Malaba-Busitema-Busia expressway is currently underway under the consultancy firm named GOPA Infra Gmbh of Germany together with ITEC Limited of Kenya.
The expressway that will run from Kisumu in Kenya to Kakira, a town Jinja district in Uganda will involve rehabilitation of the existing two-lane single carriageway to bitumen standards and the upgrading of the same into a two-lane dual carriageway over a 104km stretch.
The US $1.4 million feasibility study project funded by the AfDB will determine the economic viability of upgrading the existing multinational road sections from single carriageway to expressway standards.
The expressway is part of improvements on the Northern Corridor which provides landlocked East African nations faster access to the Mombasa Port. It also forms part of the Mombasa-Kigali Expressway that was prioritised at the EAC Heads of States Retreat on Infrastructure Development held in February 2018 in Kampala.
The rehabilitation along the EAC Northern Corridor is expected to contribute to strengthening road infrastructure within the EAC region to fast-track regional integration and spur cross-border trade. The draft Feasibility Study and Preliminary Design Report will be submitted to the EAC Secretariat by December 2024.
https://thecooperator.news/local-leaders-urge-govt-to-upgrade-lwakhakha-border-post/
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