President Yoweri Museveni’s ban of Ugandan drivers from crossing into Kenya with their trucks has caused massive traffic jam in the landlocked Nation.
The ban was enforced to combat the spread of Covid-19.
Kenya has also banned travel to Uganda.
Border agencies in Busia including Immigration, Kenya Revenue and Uganda Revenue Authorities met the East African legislative Assembly (EALA) Member Dr Oburu Odinga and Busia Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi at the One Stop Border Post on Saturday to access the impact of the ban.
URA Station Manager Simon Edunet said traffic jams on the Busia route for trucks proceeding to Kenya exceeds 10km while the situation in Malaba is worse.
“Uganda has banned its own and foreign truck drivers from entering Kenya. The complication arises from Ugandan or foreign registered trucks which have no Kenyan drivers on board, thus the current pile up,” he told the EALA member.
He added that the scenario is different from trucks entering Uganda because only Kenyan drivers are allowed entry into the country but not past its borders with Southern Sudan, Rwanda or Democratic Republic of Congo.
KRA Station Manager Daniel Wambua told Oburu that the pile up of trucks on the Kenyan side is not massive because the process is fast compared to Uganda which has been hit by the President’s directive.
He said Kenyan drivers who return from Uganda must undergo 14 days self-quarantine.
The Deputy Governor said Busia and Malaba are large facilitators with 43 per cent of Uganda trade passing through the two border points.
He said over 500 trucks pass through the Busia border with about 1000 passing through Malaba daily.
Oburu who also met the Immigration Officer in charge promised to pursue the challenges that are an impediment to smooth flow of trade along the Kenya-Uganda border.
In a directive issued on Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered a daily curfew starting Friday March 27th, 2020 while his Uganda counterpart Yoweri Museveni suspended public transport for 14 days aimed at minimizing movement and contact among people.