Four Kenyan one-stop border posts are nearing completion and will officially be commissioned by April, setting the stage for faster clearance of goods and travellers.

According to Moses Orwa, the project manager of the Lunga Lunga post, the post is almost complete while senior communications manager at Trade Mark East Africa Nelson Karanja said operations at the Holili post in Taita Taveta would start soon. Malaba and Busia will be completed by July and end of the year, respectively.

“One-stop border posts envisage a scenario where all exit and entry formalities are handled at one location – in the country of destination, an initiative that will save time and cut down on costs,” said EAC principal secretary John Konchellah.

The time taken to clear trucks at the Lunga Lunga border post is expected to reduce by more than 48 hours. It sometimes takes more than two days for a truck to cross the border but once the facility is complete, trucks will take between 20 to 30 minutes or a maximum of two hours during peak time.

Currently, clearance of a bus with an average of 60 passengers takes more than two hours but with the new system, the time taken could fall to 45 minutes, according to Kenya Revenue Authority officials at the border.

“Effective border management can turn around the economy of an area because it is a catalyst to development. Residents of this area should also know that they are key to the success of the border post,” said KRA southern regional manager George Muia.

One-stop border posts came about due to the need for faster clearance of goods and movement of persons between East African countries at border posts, where bureaucracy has been blamed for slow clearance procedures.

Border crossing has remained a major hindrance to smooth movement of goods, leading to delays that result in high costs.

Source: The East African

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