This archive report was first published on 29 June 2019.
Published on June 29, 2019, a feasibility study on opening additional entry points in Western Kenya has been underway. The study aims to identify suitable locations for new border facilities.
Bungoma County government officials, including CEC member for Public Management and Administration Mr. Patrick Wandili, argue that the current entry point at Lwakhakha is insufficient to handle the growing trade and travel between Kenya and Uganda.
According to Mr. Wandili, the number of people entering and leaving the County has been rising, particularly those crossing through unofficial routes. To address this need, the national government dispatched a multi-agency team to Western Kenya to assess the feasibility of opening up additional entry points.
The team, led by the director of Border Management Secretariat, Kennedy Nyairo, visited Busia on Tuesday and assessed four potential points of entry and exit before proceeding to Bungoma on Friday. They paid a courtesy call on the area county Commissioner, Mr. Stephen Kihara, and the County Governor's Office.
During their visit, the team assessed the Chepkube entry point and held a public participation meeting. Mr. Nyairo explained that the team's mandate was to assess whether the selected points meet certain criteria, including accessibility, road network, security, volume of work, communication networks, and concurrence of the county governments.
After this initial visit, the team will draft a recommendation and engage the top leadership in Nairobi, including the Principal Secretary, Interior, for the next plan of action. The team members included representatives from the border management secretariat, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kephis, Kenya Maritime Authority, National Police Service, National Intelligence Service, and KNBS.
Mr. Sabwami, representing the governor, assured the team that the county government was in support of the venture, citing its potential to boost revenue and increase trade volumes. He noted that Chepkube has long been known for its booming coffee black market and is an ideal alternative to Lwakhakha, Malaba, and Busia borders.
