Malaba can become East Africa’s business hub — aspirant Mamai

Teso North MP candidate Lawi Mamai has said he will champion transformation of Malaba town into a regional business hub.

The IT expert said on Wednesday the border town has the capacity and can attract multimillion-shilling investments due to its strategic location.

Malaba is East and Central Africa’s second-busiest entry and exit point after the Port of Mombasa, clearing on average 1,000 cargo trucks every day.

“Malaba can be a business hub for East and Central Africa and it is high time we engage the national government and tell them Malaba can become the Dubai of Kenya with reputable companies setting up shop here,” Lawi said.

“We can create opportunities right here and help our people. These are some of the issues that Lawi Mamai will push for if he gets elected in this struggle to help our people.”

He was speaking in Malaba town when he opened the DAP-K Teso subcounty North office.

He said the town has remained shanty with a poor drainage system for many years despite its potential to grow.

“The time is now and if it is not now then it is right now,” Lawi who lost the battle for the Teso North MP seat to incumbent Oku Kaunya in 2017 said.

“It is our responsibility to develop Teso North. The future is waiting for us to act and if we do not act now, our next generation will ask us what we did in our active days.”

Among key investments currently being undertaken in the town include the construction of a dry port expected to handle cargo exiting into Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo, Central African Republic and South Sudan.

The cargo, from the Port of Mombasa, will be delivered by rail to the dry port before trucks pick the consignment for delivery to landlocked East Africa.

Other strategic investments already being lined up for the town include the expansion of the yard at the One Stop Border Post which Kenya Revenue Authority Western region coordinator Pamela Ahago said in April will ease traffic congestion along the Malaba-Bungoma highway.

A Sh306 million sewer project that is meant to help solve the town’s drainage challenges is also nearing completion.

“We are looking at that future that we want today,” Lawi said.

“We must work to improve the living standards of our people.”

Malaba has an approximate population of 24,000 going by data in the Busia County Integrated Development Plan.

The town’s population has steadily been growing. It rose from 16,480 in 2009 to 21,783 in 2018 before shooting to 23,177 in 2020.

Approximately 20,000 people cross the Kenya-Uganda border in Malaba every day. Lawi said the number is enough to provide a huge market for diverse businesses in Malaba.