Uhuru, Magufuli to launch border post

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Tanzanian counterpart John Pombe Maghufuli will tomorrow officially launch the Namanga One-Stop Border Post (OSBP).

The launch is set to mark a huge milestone in trade facilitation across East African Community (EAC).

Acting Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner for Customs and Border Control Kenneth Ochola said the launch paves the way for speedy clearance of goods moving between the two countries.

He said the Namanga OSBP is part of the EAC regional initiative implemented jointly with Kenya and Tanzania. It was supported by development partners through Japan International Cooperation Agency and African Development Bank.

Ochola said the launch will open up the border for better trade between Tanzania and Kenya.

Namanga OSBP was first opened in October 2017.

"The OSBP has since eradicated the many bottlenecks that stood in the way of efficient service delivery at the facility. One of the major scores realised after its establishment has been reduction in the time taken to clear people and goods from Kenya to Tanzania and vice versa," Ochola said.

He said that regionally, OSBPs are mandated by the EAC One-Stop Border Post Act, 2016, and the various bilateral agreements signed between adjoining States.

"The Act is now augmented by the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement which entered into force in February 2017," he said.