At the Malaba border, trucks carrying sugar, cement, and milk from Uganda stretch for kilometres, waiting for days to enter Kenya. For traders, delays and new tariffs have turned cross-border commerce into a nightmare. Critics say President Yoweri Museveni’s soft diplomacy is failing to shield Uganda from mounting Museveni Kenya trade barriers.
Uganda’s Soft Stance Under Fire
Kenya has rolled out steep duties: 7.5% on sugar, 25% on tea, 35% on LPG cylinders, and heavy fees on timber, fish, and cement. While Tanzania retaliates swiftly to protect its traders, Uganda rarely strikes back. Museveni downplays disputes as “small issues,” but manufacturers argue this approach weakens Uganda’s position.
Factories are relocating to Rwanda and Tanzania where governments take a harder line, costing Uganda both jobs and revenue. Business leaders warn that unless Uganda pushes back, Kenya will continue imposing restrictions with little consequence.
Broken EAC Promises
Documents from a recent ministerial meeting in Nairobi show Kenya’s measures violate Articles 10 and 15 of the EAC Customs Union. These hidden tariffs, officials admit, erode trust and suffocate Ugandan exports. In 2024, Uganda imported goods worth $1.1 billion from Kenya but only exported $900 million in return, leaving a growing trade deficit.
Both governments have since pledged reforms, including 24-hour border operations, shorter queues, and faster clearance at Malaba and Busia. But without stronger action, analysts fear that Museveni Kenya trade barriers will undermine East African Community integration and further disadvantage Ugandan traders.
