Colin Lasu

Presidents Museveni, Ruto To Launch Another One-Stop-Border Point, This Time At The Uganda-Kenya Border Town of Suam. Could Unleash Transformative Forces In The “Lendu Economic Zone” Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto are set to launch a one-stop border post (OSBP) at their common Suam border point. In Uganda from Kapchorwa-Suam highway cuts through breathtaking mountainous Sebei, the land of world-beating long-distance runner like Stephen Kiprotich and Jacob Kiplimo. Among other things, soon one will be able to branch off the highway and visit the athletics museum being built by Ugandan Olympic gold medalist Joshua Cheptegei (5,000 metres) and world champion in the 10,000 metres. Kenyan marathon king Eliud Kipchoge is reportedly a key investor in the museum. At a wider strategic level, it is an important new link between Kenya-Uganda and South Sudan, and northeastern DR Congo. It also means that Uganda and Kenya now have the most OSBPs between them than any other two countries in Africa and, including Busia, Malaba, and Lwakhakha, the most highway connections between them (with a link to Moroto expected in the near future). However, in terms of official border crossings, the highest number is with DRC. Suam boosts the so-called “Lendu Economic Zone”, spanning northeast DR Congo, southern South Sudan, northern and eastern Uganda, western Tanzania, and Kenya’s western and Rift Valley, and deepens the informal economic spheres cutting through Uganda. The other is the Albertine/Rwenzori economic belt in the west, and the Lake Victoria Economic zone which takes in its southern and upper eastern regions. In another 50 years, Uganda will likely exist and function primarily as a trade link-hub in the East African Hinterland. And one day, we might look back at Suam OSBP, and wonder how we didn’t see how much fuel it would add to the transformation of northeast DRC and South Sudan.

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