The National Government will open four more border points in Busia County to boost trade between Kenya and the Great Lakes region.
Sio Port, Port Victoria, Mulwanda and Buteba border points are earmarked for upgrade. Currently, only Busia and Malaba border posts are gazetted.
Early in the year, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni agreed to open more border points linking the two countries boost trade.
The target is to enhance free movement of people and goods along the border points to curb smuggling of contrabands.
On Wednesday, Border Control and Operation Coordination Committee director Kennedy Nyaiyo led the board secretariat in meeting stakeholders in Busia town before inspecting Sio Port and Port Victoria to assess the two designated entry points.
Said Nyaiyo: "The criteria for opening new entry points include accessibility, the vastness of the area and concurrence of the county government and the residents.”
He said the plan to open new entry points is aimed at sealing all tax evasion loopholes.
Chief Officer in the Office of the Governor, Dr Ezekiel Okwach, who represented the county government, said there is need to consider other entry points like Adumai in Teso North, which is busy but lacks Kenya Revenue Authority officers.
“The opening of more entry points will enhance taxation and have multiplier effect on the county’s income,” he said, adding that the county will back the national government’s efforts to open up more entry points.
County police commander John Nyoike said additional entry points will bring reduce options for smugglers.
County director trade Fred Odalo said Adungosi in Teso South should also be considered as an entry point to check on the cane crossing from Uganda.
He said that the other way to protect Kenyan fishermen from harassment by their Ugandan counterparts was to increase the price of fish.
However, residents of Marenga beach in Port Victoria objected to the site being considered as entry point. They instead proposed Sumba Island to check on Ugandan security accused of harassing Kenyan fishermen.
In a memorandum read by County Beach Management Unit network chairperson Sylvester Kaywa, the fishermen cited harassment by Uganda security, and frequent confiscation of fishing gear among other challenges.
They want the national government to establish security camp at Sumba Islands, demarcation of boundaries, harmonisation of trade and marketing policies at the border.
