Over 150 trucks and 800 people cross the Gatuna/Katuna One Stop Border Post (OSBP) on daily basis following reopening by government of Rwanda in January, 2022.
This is revealed during East African Business Council (EABC) and TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) public-private dialogue with trade facilitation agencies at Gatuna OSBP, today, June 28, 2022.
This dialogue convenes over 40 officials from trade facilitation agencies, importers, exporters, transporters, EABC members, East African Grain Council, Private Sector Foundation Uganda, the New Forests Company and women cross-border traders to chart out solutions to ease free movement of people and cargo at the border.
Peter Gikwiyave, Regional Manager in Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) says “800 people cross the Katuna border” and “Over 150 transit trucks cross over daily following the reopening of the border.”
The CEO of EABC, John Bosco Kalisa applauds President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and his counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, for reopening of this border.
However, the transporters call for harmonization of road tolls, citing Rwanda charges a flat fee of USD 76 while Uganda charges USD 10 per 100 mileages.
Joseph Etomet from Uganda’s Ministry of EAC Affairs says to the transporters, “The EAC Secretariat has already undertaken a study on charges fee and charges if equivalent effect to inform the harmonization process of road tolls and other charges at regional level.”
Gatuna OSBP currently facilitates movement of transit cargo. Traders plead to be allowed to enter Rwanda or Uganda for bilateral trade ties to flourish better.
