By Joshua Niyonshima & Jacquiline Emodek
President Museveni has asked for an integrated approach to handling customs activities by having simultaneous framework among government agencies.
He made this call during the commissioning of phase one of the Mpondwe-Lhubiriha border market and Mpondwe One Stop Border Post (OSBP) in Kasese district yesterday.
The President explained that integrating systems of all agencies in Customs in the international trade supply chain would ensure traders spend less time in clearance processes hence expediting trade at the borders.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner General, John Musinguzi, said the new OSBP is testimony of the progressing trade between Uganda and DRC revealing that Uganda’s export value to DRC has risen from UGX 239.773 billion in 2020 to UGX358.666 billion in 2021 and UGX 358.636 billion from January to November 2022.
He also added that the OSBP would facilitate trade by bringing all government agencies together.
“One-stop border points are essential in raising revenue for national development in a fast and efficient manner since traders access all the necessary support in one place,” Musinguzi said.
Aside from trade facilitation, Musinguzi also explained that regular border points reduce on cases of smuggling through advanced technology like the non-intrusive inspection (NII).
“What remains is outright smuggling in porous border points but we are handling it through intelligence and soon technology shall be employed to eliminate it completely,” he explained.
Mpondwe OSBP becomes the eighth OSBP after Mutukula, Busia, Malaba, Elegu, Mirama Hills, Katuna and Lwakhakha. Ntoroko is already set, awaiting to be commissioned whereas Goli and Suam River are still under construction.
Facts about Mpondwe OSBP
Mpondwe border is the main entry and exit point between Uganda and DRC with the largest volumes of goods and people crossing every day. Before the 101current insurgency in DRC, the border was receiving an average of 3,500 trucks (both in-coming and outing) per month, a daily average of 65 outbound and 52 inbound trucks.
However, traffic has now reduced to an average of 2,400 trucks per month, with an average daily traffic inflow and outflow of 36 and 45 trucks respectively.
One Stop Border Posts OSBPs were Introduced in 2010 to shift Uganda from a landlocked to a land-linked country border export zone.
