Malaba one-stop border post to be ready next month

Eng Micheal Chai (left) and Standard Kakamega Bureau Chief Luke Anami inspects one stop border post Malaba which is almost complete. This facility which was designed at the border by East Africa Community will Improve sufficiency at the border. By Benjamin Sakwa

Malaba One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) is expected to be completed by August. It will maximise free flow of goods and services across Kenya and Uganda.

The post bordering the two countries will enable government agencies from both countries to provide services under one roof. “Goods from Kenya will be cleared from Ugandan post while those from Uganda will be cleared from the Kenyan post,” said Michael Chai, a consultant in charge of construction of Kenya post, adding that the building will be ready for use by August.

“This will increase efficiency. The post will have officials from both countries who will clear the goods at one centre,” said Manager Custom’s Field Service Division- Eastern Region Uganda Geofrey Balamaga.

“The centre will be used for coordinating transit clearance as two officers from Kenya Revenue Authority and Uganda Revenue Authority will work from one station and handle transit documents and clearance of good and services at once.”

Balamaga said the OSBP aims at deepening the East Africa Community integration. Other one-stop border posts in the country include Busia and Malaba borders (Kenya–Uganda) the Namanga border (Kenya-Tanzania), Holili-Taveta border and and Lungalunga-Horohoro border (Kenya–Tanzania). Holili-Taveta OSBP is complete, awaiting bilateral agreement between Kenya and Tanzania to operationalise it.

Trade Mark East Africa is funding the projects.