Kenya–Uganda Expressway set to redraw East Africa’s trade map

KAMPALA — Plans to construct a 200-kilometre expressway linking Kenya’s Kisumu and Busia to Uganda’s Kakira and Malaba have taken a major leap forward, with the project now officially declared investment-ready.

The multi-billion-dollar infrastructure venture — backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and coordinated through the East African Community (EAC) — is being hailed as one of the most transformative road projects in the region’s history.

The proposed Kenya–Uganda Expressway will form a vital part of the Trans-African Highway network, connecting the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa to the landlocked economies of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It promises to drastically cut transport times, reduce logistics costs, and deepen economic integration across East Africa.

“This road is more than a piece of infrastructure,” said Gen (Rtd.) Katumba Wamala, Uganda’s Minister of Works and Transport, said a recent stakeholders’ meeting.

“It is an economic lifeline that will drive greater integration and shared prosperity between Uganda, Kenya, and our neighbours,” he added.

Currently, trucks moving goods from Mombasa to Kampala can take several days — sometimes weeks — due to poor road conditions, bottlenecks, and long border delays. The new expressway aims to change that. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, the EAC’s Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, said the road will “reduce the time vehicles take from Mombasa to Kampala or even to Eastern Congo.” He added, “When travel time goes down, so does the cost of goods. That’s why this road will benefit every East African.”

The expressway will also modernize one-stop border posts at Lwakhakha, Busia, and Lumino, easing customs procedures and improving the movement of both goods and people. Eng. Charles Wani, Uganda’s Commissioner for National Roads, said the design includes faster access routes into Kampala via Lumino, saving hours of travel time.

For Uganda, the expressway fits squarely within the country’s Vision 2040 blueprint — the long-term plan to transform Uganda from a peasant to a modern and prosperous economy through strategic infrastructure. “Kenya is our biggest trade partner and our gateway to the East African coast,” Gen Wamala emphasized. “The faster the goods move, the better for everyone.”

Kenyan officials echoed that optimism. Eng. Charles Obuon, Director of Public–Private Partnerships at the Kenya National Highways Authority, described the expressway as “a catalyst for economic growth.” He noted that “regional transport infrastructure remains poorly connected because of missing links on cross-border corridors. This expressway will close those gaps and make the EAC more competitive.”

Unlike traditional state-funded projects, the Kenya–Uganda Expressway will be implemented through public–private partnerships (PPPs), where private investors finance, build, and operate sections of the road in exchange for toll revenues or long-term concessions. “Large-scale infrastructure cannot be achieved in isolation,” said Wani. “We must embrace PPPs and blended financing models if we’re to deliver transformative projects.”

According to officials, Uganda’s Ministry of Works is finalizing negotiations with a potential contractor, while the EAC and AfDB are ensuring the project incorporates smart technologies, digital monitoring, and enhanced road safety features. Malueth noted that “80 percent of infrastructure projects fail at the preparation stage,” but emphasized that this one “has been properly designed and made bankable.”

Beyond trade, the expressway promises broader economic and social impacts — from boosting tourism and job creation to spurring industrial development along its route. Towns like Busia, Jinja, and Kisumu are expected to benefit from new factories, hotels, and logistics hubs that could transform local economies.

Economists say the project also represents a larger shift in mindset — East Africans taking greater ownership of financing and managing their own infrastructure. “This expressway is a statement,” said one regional analyst at the Kampala meeting. “It shows that East Africans can design, fund, and build projects that serve East African interests.”

Still, challenges remain. Attracting private capital amid global financial tightening and ensuring seamless cross-border coordination will test both governments’ resolve. Yet, the mood among delegates in Kampala was buoyant — a rare sense of shared conviction that the region’s economic future depends not just on policy, but on the physical connections that bind its markets.

As the meeting concluded, Gen Wamala captured that spirit best: “This expressway is not just a bridge between two countries — it’s a bridge between where East Africa is and where it wants to go.”

If construction proceeds as planned, the road could soon carry more than cargo; it could carry the weight of East Africa’s ambition — a smoother route to a more integrated and prosperous future.