Overview:
Zuhu Mbatude Badru, Chairperson of the Busia Women’s Cross Border Cereal Traders Cooperative, echoed concerns about unequal treatment. She noted that Ugandan traders face stricter scrutiny across the border, while Kenyan counterparts enjoy more relaxed regulations in Uganda.
Small-scale cross-border traders in Busia Municipality are raising concerns over what they describe as unequal trade conditions at the Busia-One Stop border, alleging that Kenyan authorities restrict their access to local cereal markets, even as Kenyan traders freely sell produce in Uganda.
Mohamed Samanya Mwanje, a trader at Busia Main Market, said that the restrictions have reduced profits and disrupted trade. He said the unregulated influx of Kenyan traders carrying cereals and other agricultural produce has created an oversupply, pushing down prices for Ugandans.
“They can bring truckloads of cereals into Uganda, and it affects our prices. Meanwhile, when we try to sell in Kenya, we face barriers and cannot get the profit,” Mwanje said, calling for intervention by Ugandan authorities to ensure equitable trade.
Zuhu Mbatude Badru, Chairperson of the Busia Women’s Cross Border Cereal Traders Cooperative, echoed concerns about unequal treatment. She noted that Ugandan traders face stricter scrutiny across the border, while Kenyan counterparts enjoy more relaxed regulations in Uganda.
“The other people are given more freedom when they come here, while we face inspections and delays. Sometimes they cheat a lot,” Badru said.
She emphasized, however, that quality and food safety challenges among Ugandan traders complicate cross-border trade. “We need more sensitization on safe handling, proper packaging, and meeting the required standards. That way, traders can access regional markets without unnecessary obstacles,” she added.
Richard Barasa, Chairperson of the Busia Produce Dealers Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, highlighted another challenge: Kenyan middlemen buying cereals directly from Ugandan villages before harvest. This practice reduces the volume available for local traders and drives up prices when goods are re-imported.
“These middlemen sometimes book cereals before harvest, take them to Kenyan markets, or process them and sell them back to Uganda at higher prices. Many traders have abandoned Busia Main Market because of these challenges,” Barasa said.
At a recent multi-stakeholder meeting on Intra-East African Community (EAC) Trade in Agro-ecology in Bugiri District, Hakim Baliraine, Board Chairperson at ESSAF, urged East African governments to implement the EAC Commodity Market Protocol, which guarantees free movement of goods, labor, and persons.
“If small-scale farmers cannot trade freely across borders, then we are defeating the very essence of regional integration,” Baliraine said, stressing the importance of quality and food safety in regional trade.
Baliraine cited Uganda’s investments in cross-border markets, including the 41 billion shillings Elegu Cross Border Market, as a step forward but noted gaps in fair access and value addition remain.
“As farmers, you should know that quality ensures better prices and protects health. Always prioritize standards before selling your produce,” he said.
However, Richard Maholo Koko, Chairperson of the Cross Border Traders Association and Secretary of the Kenyan Long Distance Truck Drivers and Allied Union, disputed claims of trade restrictions on Ugandans.
“There are two designated trading days—Monday and Thursday—where Ugandan small-scale traders can operate within Kenya under the Simplified Trade Regime. About 80 percent of traders take advantage of this weekly,” Koko told Uganda Radio Network.
Under the Simplified Trade Regime, Ugandan traders can sell within a 10 km radius inside Kenya, following a simplified clearance process and paying a nominal fee.
Uganda remains one of Kenya’s biggest trading partners in the EAC, accounting for 10.4% of total export earnings, with 72.5 million US dollars in exports to Kenya in 2024, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.
The International Trade Centre reported that maize was the most traded conventional product in 2023, with 211,642 tons exported to Kenya, generating 59.14 million US dollars.
While cross-border trade continues to face challenges, traders and policymakers agree that addressing issues of market access, food safety, and fair competition will be essential to strengthening regional integration and supporting small-scale traders’ livelihoods.