Kindiki: Suam border post to be upgraded to boost trade

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki while on an inspection tour Suam border. [Osinde Obare]

The government has announced plans to upgrade the Suam border point in Trans Nzoia County into a modern one-stop border post (OSBP).

The initiative is intended to enhance trade between Kenya and Uganda while enabling border management officers from both countries to share facilities for faster clearance of people and vehicles.

"Uganda is Kenya's largest trading partner, making trade between our nations vital for our people," DP Kithure Kindiki said.

The Suam OSBP project began in 2021 with the launch of construction and the concurrent upgrading of the 45-kilometer Kitale-Suam highway.

By 2023, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo reported that the border post infrastructure was 84 percent complete, while the highway upgrade was 97 percent finished.

Last year, President William Ruto announced plans to commission the Suam OSBP, stating that the joint Kenya-Uganda initiative would strengthen regional trade.

"President Museveni and I will be launching the one-stop border post in Suam in a couple of weeks," Ruto said during the opening of the 3rd sitting of the 3rd session of the 5th East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

However, the launch was delayed.

During an assessment visit today, Kindiki noted the government's commitment to completing the project.

"We came to evaluate progress on the Kenyan side and determine what remains to be done. The commissioning by the two heads of state will take place at an appropriate time, hopefully very soon," he said.

The Suam OSBP is expected to significantly boost cross-border trade and streamline operations at the Kenya-Uganda border.