Members of the East African Legislative Meeting (EALA) have referred to as for pressing motion to handle street toll disputes, customs system gaps, inefficient border submit operations and different practices they are saying are rising commerce prices and slowing regional integration.
The considerations emerged this week throughout EALA plenary in Arusha, Tanzania, throughout a debate on a report by the Committee on Communication, Commerce and Funding based mostly on a March 2026 oversight train on One-Cease Border Posts (OSBPs) throughout the East African Group (EAC).
Whereas presenting the report, the committee chairperson MP Francine Rutazana mentioned OSBPs have improved commerce facilitation, however stay constrained by infrastructure gaps, poor coordination, incompatible customs techniques, staffing shortages and rising cargo volumes.
ALSO READ: How one cease border posts have lowered price of commerce
Highway toll dispute
EALA lawmakers highlighted differing street toll regimes. General, Tanzania and Uganda cost about $10 per 100km, whereas Rwanda and Burundi apply a flat payment of about $152.
Rutazana instructed The New Occasions the dispute stems from considerations that distance-based costs drawback international locations with smaller territories and shorter transport routes, which argue that making use of the identical charges utilized by international locations with longer routes wouldn’t generate sufficient income for street upkeep.
“Tanzania desires Rwanda to cost per kilometres, however Rwanda argues that such costs wouldn’t generate sufficient income to take care of its roads,” Rutazana mentioned.
Ugandan MP Mary Mugyenyi mentioned that whereas the existence of various street toll techniques could also be comprehensible, practices that favour some transporters over others are a serious concern.
“What will not be actually excusable is the truth that that system then profit the Tanzanian vehicles drivers, at the price of bills of the drivers of different companion states' truck homeowners/drivers. And that must be corrected, in order that the identical measure applies to all.”
The EALA committee really helpful harmonisation of street tolls and different cross-border costs in a manner that eases enterprise and lowers prices.
Keep payment dispute
Rutazana additionally questioned Tanzania’s requirement for EAC residents to pay a $100 payment (about Rwf150,000) after three months of keep, saying EAC guidelines permit as much as six months with out such costs.
“Tanzania is imposing that $100 for an individual crossing and staying within the nation for lower than six months… That’s contravening the EAC treaty and customs territory authorized framework,” she mentioned.
Mugyenyi voiced the identical concern. “East African residents are purported to enter and stay wherever they need so long as they’re following the procedures.”
Addressing border inefficiencies
Lawmakers additionally raised considerations about border posts working 12 hours as an alternative of 24 hours a day, citing Taveta-Holili on the Kenya–Tanzania border and Kobero-Kabanga on the Burundi–Tanzania border. The EALA committee discovered that staffing shortages on the Kenyan aspect restrict full operations at Taveta-Holili, inflicting delays and lengthy truck queues.
“That isn’t excusable. That’s in contradiction with what the insurance policies or the Treaty is meant to be, or the aim of creating the One Cease Border Posts, which is to make sure effectivity in enterprise,” Mugyenyi mentioned.
Rwanda's MP Fatuma Ndangiza urged the EAC Council of Ministers to name for harmonisation of working hours not solely at Taveta/Holili, but additionally at different borders the place the identical problem exists.
The committee additionally cited non-interoperable customs techniques resembling ASYCUDA and TANCIS, which gradual clearance as officers can not entry one another’s information.
ALSO READ: Truckers upbeat as Rwanda, Tanzania pledge to ease commerce hurdles
Transit bond difficulty
Rutazana mentioned a safety bond issued in Mombasa will not be recognised in Tanzania as a result of it doesn’t use the COMESA transit assure system, forcing merchants to purchase a second bond and rising prices and delays.
Tanzanian MP Kambarage Wasira underscored the associated fee implications of the system, noting {that a} safety bond issued in Mombasa successfully turns into invalid as soon as vehicles attain the Taveta-Holili border submit.
“This isn’t only a technical footnote. It’s a price in time, a value in capital, an pointless price that’s imposed on merchants and customers,” Wasira mentioned.
Infrastructure strain
The home committee warned that rising cargo volumes are overwhelming border infrastructure, notably Taveta-Holili, now a key transit route because of its shorter connection between main corridors.
“Taveta/Holili which began as a neighborhood border, has develop into a global border, because of an rising quantity of vehicles deviating from Mombasa to Rusumo because the route is shorter than passing by way of Nairobi-Kampala-Kigali,” Ndangiza mentioned.
She referred to as for expanded infrastructure and stronger border administration.
Tanzanian MP Gladness Ladislaus Salema mentioned it’s excessive time that EAC had have a holistic evaluate of the OSBP mannequin to “see whether it is actually becoming the present improvement the EAC wants, contemplating the expansion in quantity which is daily rising.”
The EALA committee really helpful harmonising customs techniques, infrastructure growth, staffing will increase, coordinated border administration and aligned working hours to enhance regional commerce effectivity.
