- Konyao border point considered suitable in terms of security, road transport and availability of land
- Most of the illicit trade across the border is mainly in alcohol and sugar from Uganda
The national government will set to put up a new boarder point between West Pokot county and Uganda.
The customs point will boost national revenue collection and enhance trade between residents of the two countries.
Speaking yesterday at Konyao town in North Pokot subcounty, the director of boarder management secretariat Kennedy Nyairo said better integration will ensure the government manages movement of people and goods across the boarder.
“We have been in West Pokot county since Sunday and we have engaged relevant parties and discussed at length the need for a border point. We are certain that the Konyao border point is suitable in terms of security, road transport, availability of land and distance from the immediate boarder,” Nyairo said.
The team led by West Pokot county commissioner Apollo Okello on Tuesday visited the area for public sensitisation.
The team comprised of representatives from the Immigration department, East African Community, Kenya ports Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kephis and Kenya Airports Authority.
Okello urged the residents to welcome the government move, saying the boarder point will benefit them and the county.
The county security team informed the BMS that most of the illicit trade was mainly in alcohol and sugar from Uganda.
"A large amount of sugar and beer are from Uganda. The beer that is being consumed in Pokot North and Pokot Central subcounties is from Uganda and is cheaper. A bottle of beer goes for Sh100 while that from Kenya goes for between Sh180 and Sh220," Okello said.
West Pokot assembly minority leader Peter Lokor said the project has the support of local politicians, adding that its benefits would be tremendous to the residents through employment and other opportunities.
But Lokor raised complaints about land disputes in the county and urging the relevant authorities to resolve them.
“We know the benefits that this will come with. It will bring up job opportunities to our youth and promote cross-border trade. It will also boost county government revenue. The land issue will be sorted out,” Lokor said.
Residents welcomed construction of a border point but expressed fears of displacement without compensation should they be needed to move to create space for the project.
Joshua Korinyang said the government should compensate residents for any land surrendered.
“We are worried that if the government comes we might be subjected to what we suffered during the Turkwel project where many of us incurred losses after giving away our land, only for us to get peanuts in return” Korinyang said.
County lands chief officer Peter Adoki assured the residents that the county government already surveyed the area and found 200 acres of public land available which will only be used with the involvement of residents.