Kenya-Uganda Border Traders Call for Faster, More Efficient Cross-Border Trade

Nairobi, Kenya | August 25, 2026

Traders operating along the Kenya-Uganda border have called for improved systems to reduce delays and make it easier for businesses to move goods between the two countries.

The traders say lengthy clearance procedures and other challenges at border points continue to disrupt business operations, particularly for small-scale traders who depend on daily trade between Kenya and Uganda for their livelihoods.

They have urged the relevant authorities in Kenya and Uganda to strengthen cooperation and streamline procedures to ensure goods and people move more efficiently across the border.

The concerns are particularly significant at Busia and Malaba, two major border crossings that handle substantial volumes of trade between Kenya and Uganda.

Small-scale traders have also called for the elimination of unnecessary barriers and charges that increase the cost of doing business and delay the movement of goods.

The traders argue that faster and more efficient border operations would help reduce losses, particularly for those dealing in perishable goods that can spoil when clearance takes too long.

Trade across the Kenya-Uganda border remains an important source of income for thousands of people living in communities along the two countries' shared frontier and plays a key role in supporting the wider regional economy.

The latest concerns come as Kenya and Uganda continue to pursue measures aimed at promoting regional integration and improving trade within the East African Community.

Traders are now calling on authorities to ensure that policies designed to promote regional trade translate into practical improvements at border crossings.

As discussions continue, traders will be watching closely to see whether the two governments can turn commitments on regional integration into practical reforms that make border trade faster, cheaper and more accessible.