By Rodgers Omondi, Busia
The senate committee on Trade has called for the expansion at the Busia One stop border point to help in reducing congestion and promoting trade at the border.
Speaking after visiting the border point, senators led by Kwale senator Issa Boy Juma, said the visit has given an insight of the challenges experienced at the border.
“We have met stakeholders and the users of the border point and they are complaining of bad roads, and being harassed from our neighbor’s side. We cannot have better business here when we have a shallow road, we must expand it. The long ques experienced here slows down business”.
He indicated the need to have a modern yard that will accommodate more trailers compared to the one available which has a capacity of 40 trucks.
“We have been told by KRA that the land is available. We are going to ensure that the modern yard has been constructed to provide a better parking facility. We have a department that looks at the health at the border point but we are also going to look at how we can better the departments so that the counties at the borders are not most affected during pandemics.’ He said.
Uasin Gishu county senator Jackson Mandago challenged the county government to ensure they build facilities that will help them generate revenue from the border businesses.
“The county government of Busia should ensure they finish the trailer park so that they can generate their own revenue. We should remember that the business at the border counties mostly involves many countries. We have the east African system and agreement on taxes that we should abide by as a nation. We cannot go beyond what we should collect. Our country is the most beneficiary from the businesses contacted through this border
Nandi senator Samson Cherergey said the infrastructure at the point needs to be improved for better service delivery.
“The concerns we have witnessed include a parking area which has a capacity of only 40 tracks. The waiting time for clearance is 30 minutes, something that should not be the case in this era. We have more than 22 agencies and this has caused delays in clearance and this is impeding free trade in Africa. We also hope there will be improvement in disease surveillance control.” He said
Cherergey further said the country should adapt the Artificial Intelligence to help solve some of the challenges experienced at the border.
“We have to ensure that both sides embrace AI in terms of scanning so that to avoid the long cures that are experienced due to down town of the scanner from either side. We also need to expand the parking lot and even build other facilities where the truck drivers can rest when they arrive here’ he said.
The senator disclosed that the trailers are being charged the parking fees even as the county government holds the stand that they do not collect.
“I have a copy that the tracks are paying some money to the county government, another amounting to Ksh 1,500, but the county government told the PAC committee that they are not collecting. We need to harmonize and ensure all points including Mulwanda are operationalized to ease the clearance and improve efficiency.” He said
Joseph Okhanga, chairman clearing and forwarding Busia Kenya said that the space at the customs needs to be addressed urgently.
“We need an immediate expansion of the customs so that we can have enough space. All vehicles that get in and out of our country are being charged by the county government. We are urging that the trailer park done by the county government should be completed so that they can be able to collect their revenues.” He said
