One-stop centre to boost border trade

Busia Governor Sospiter Ojaamong'(left) and British high Commissioner Chris Turner when he visted Busia County on October 28, 2015 with a support of 200m dollars from British government as part of their efforts to ease operations at the Kenya - Uganda boarders. The money is supposed to expand the roads on the Kenyans side towards the boarder. Tannah confirmed that British government has no plan to withdraw its support from the country. BY CHRISPEN SECHERE

Trade along the Kenya-Uganda border at Busia is set to grow with completion of a one-stop border station by the British government.

The structure which will operate 24 hours will be manned by Ugandan and Kenyan customs officers.

"Our target is to cut the rate of doing trade in the border by at least 30 per cent. We plan to achieve this by automating the system of clearance and expanding the road that leads the border to a tune of Sh 200 million," said British High Commission Christian Turner during a tour of the area.

The British government has set up programmes under the Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) to ease trade between the eight East African countries.

"Ports and borders have been barriers to free trade in East Africa. It is 60 per cent more expensive to do business in Kenya and developing states than it is in developed countries," said Frank Matsaert, Chief executive TMEA.