DP: Suam one stop border upgrade to boost Kenya-Uganda trade

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said that the upgrading of the Suam One Stop Border Post (OSBP) will boost trade between Kenya-Uganda.

Speaking on Tuesday Kindiki said that Uganda continues to be Kenya's biggest trading partner regionally.

The DP had visited Suam Point of Entry and Exit in Endebess, where he said this relation is important to Kenya as it is generated by interactions of people between the two nations.

“Uganda is the biggest trading partner of Kenya. It is not just a friendly and neighboring country and therefore trade between Kenya and Uganda is extremely crucial for the government and the people of Kenya because much of our regional trade is generated in the business interactions between ourselves and our brothers and sister from Uganda,” he said.

The Deputy President was at the Suam One Stop Border Post (OSBP) to assess progress of the works and follow up on the implementation of the Presidential Directives issued earlier for the expeditious completion of the Kenya side.

This OSBP is currently being upgraded to a modern facility to enable border management officers from both countries to share space for quicker clearance of human and vehicle traffic.

Once complete, the project that is being jointly undertaken by the Kenya and Ugandan governments is expected to facilitate increased regional integration and people-to-people ties.

The completion will also pave way for the expansion of the 45km road between Suam and Kitale.

Kindiki noted that it has registered good progress from both countries and should soon be opened by Presidents William Ruto and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.

“This is a joint project between the two countries and there is what each country needs to do to have the project ready for commissioning. We are aware that the Ugandan side has made some good progress and are almost ready and we came to assess on the Kenyan side what has been done and what remains so that we can prepare for the commissioning of the project by the two heads of state at an appropriate time to be announced but hopefully very soon.

“The project has registered some success and of course other than the terminal buildings and facilities around here, the project involves expanding the road between Suam and Kitale,” the DP said.

Kindiki was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr. Raymond Omollo, among other government officials.

This is the second ongoing state project Kindiki has inspected since the beginning of the year. On Monday, he inspected the Kenya Leather Industrial Park (KLIP) in Kenanie, Machakos County.