More scanners at Malaba border ahead of SGR extension

Kenya and Uganda have announced plans to install more scanners in Malaba as the two countries move to decongest the border.

The two East African Community member states at the same time said an agreement had been struck to open auxiliary roads at the border to eliminate traffic jam along the Malaba-Bungoma highway.

Roads and Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen said this will be a temporary measure the two neighbours will be undertaking in their move to de-congest Malaba ahead of the SGR extension to the border.

The decision to mount more scanners and open auxiliary roads at East Africa’s second busiest exit and entry points, Murkomen said, was among key resolutions arrived at a meeting attended by Roads and Transport cabinet ministers in the EAC region in Kampala on Friday.

The CS made the remarks while on a tour in Malaba on Saturday where he hosted Uganda’s state minister for Works and Transport Musa Ecweru.

“We have identified challenges that are related to scanning processes within the border and we have suggested increasing the equipment that will be used for making sure scanning is faster with backup machines on both sides of the border,” the former Elgeyo Marakwet Senator said.

Congestion has been a thorny issue at Malaba border with snarl-ups by cargo trucks, sometime, stretching for over 70 kilometres.

The primary cause of congestion has been the breakdown of the current scanner, which, whenever it malfunctions, hampers cargo movement.

When the scanner breaks down, trucks line-up along the single lane Malaba-Bungoma highway, sealing half of the road and making movement almost impossible on the highway linking the Port of Mombasa and Malaba.

But the minister said investment in the acquisition of more scanners and opening of new lane for cargo trucks will decongest the border that clears approximately 1,000 cargo trucks per day.

“Besides bringing more scanners, we have also agreed on the construction of auxiliary routes to make sure that congestion we witness here does not negatively affect the movement of goods and persons from one country to the other,” the CS said.

“So, we will build secondary roads not only on the Kenyan side but the exercise will also be undertaken by Ugandan authorities on the other side of the border. We believe we will set aside financial resources in the 2023/2024 Financial Year for this investment. This should make it possible for us to reduce border congestion.”

One of the worst border congestions was witnessed in late 2021 and early 2022 when a traffic jam by cargo trucks stretched for over 70 kilometres, a development that compelled the two neighbours to suspend cargo scanning in Malaba.

With an auxiliary road built, Murkomen said cargo trucks, from either Kimait or Koteko will be diverted to a lane that will connect to Malaba.

The lane will primarily be constructed to accommodate cargo movers.

Murkomen said slow movement of goods at Kenya’s border points was costly to Kenya and her neighbours in business terms.

The CS said his ministry will work to ensure seamless movement of goods across Kenyan borders.

He said upgrading the road that connects to the Lwakhakhwa border will be one of the critical projects his ministry will be undertaking.

“We are going to work out mechanisms of investing in infrastructure along the Lwakhakha route because the roads in Lwakhakha on both sides of the countries were not constructed to accommodate cargo or heavy lorries even if they don’t carry cargo,” the CS said.

SGR EXTENSION

Murkomen said engagements between Kenya and Uganda and other EAC member countries are at an advanced stage to extend the SGR from Naivasha to Malaba and then to Kampala and beyond.

“Our objective is to make sure the SGR in the fullness of time is taken all the way to DR Congo so that it can make this region a transport hub so that we can foster faster movement of goods and people and deepen on integration as a region. About the railway line, we have had slow movement of goods in and out of Kenya and Uganda because of poor transfer of goods from the Kenyan railway to the Ugandan railway and vice versa,” Murkomen said.

“We have agreed to have greater investment in wagons including possibilities of trains moving freely from one country to the other and agreeing on what fees is going to be paid by who to which country and also to make sure that we have better storage facilities and better parking yards and to make sure that we have the machines that will make it easy for us to move goods.”

“We believe that in the fullness of time, we build the SGR and even in operating the SGR we will have seamless movement of goods from Mombasa to Kampala and beyond.”

Ecweru said as cabinet ministers responsible for Roads and Transport in the region, they will remain committed to ensuring movement of both goods and people is enhanced for better delivery and efficiency.

He said Malaba is a key border crossing point and the improvement of infrastructure will ensure improved business for the entire EAC region.

“I can assure the people of Malaba both in Uganda and Kenya that we at our level of government are determined to transform this place and we are determined to make sure that the products of your sweat will benefit the region,” Ecweru said.

“Within the next few weeks, this congestion that you witness here will be solved and the spirit of business that exists in Malaba, will not be suffocated by any development that we are going to initiate.”

Teso North MP Oku KKaunya welcomed the decision by Murkomen to open auxiliary routes connecting to the border.

“To reduce on the danger that is exposed to motorists and the local community, it would be good to dual the route from Kimait or Koteko to Malaba and also to provide some side lanes for cargo trucks or other by-passers,” the MP said.

“Congestion in this area has been a major issue especially from the time when we had Covid-19.”

The MP said extending the SGR to Malaba will improve on the efficiency of doing business across East Africa.