Lack of Transport Hampers Immigration Operations on Kenya Border
2 min read
Lack of transport means have hampered the observance of immigration and customs regulations especially concerning illegal entry and trade at Busia, officials on the ground have admitted.
Officers handling Immigration, Customs and Agriculture matters at Busia say they have failed to implement the regulations against illegal practices taking place along the porous border due to lack of transport means.
According to immigration and agriculture section heads, they receive several calls from their secret informers about people defying rules of cross boarder trade at the boarder line but they can’t intervene due to lack of means to enable them reach at the scene. They have appealed relevant authorities to intervene.
Busia district has over 200 porous points on it’s boarder line with neighboring Kenya, along the stretch from Malaba in Tororo district to Majanji landing site in Majanji sub-county.
Robert Muwazi, the officer in-charge of immigration at Busia one stop border point says that the illegal practices at the boarder line have worsened ever since Kenyan authorities imposed a ban on maize importation into their country.Most foreign traders engaged in produce business in the area are currently using porous points to cross and do business within and to neighboring country.
Muwazi says that it’s difficult for them to make quick intervention especially when they have got an urgent call from their secret informers.
Joseph Sechewa, the Uganda Revenue Authority-URA acting supervisor at Busia custom says that the illegal activities being practiced by traders within Uganda and Kenya can therefore hardly be curbed.
An agriculture department officer at Busia custom who preferred anonymity says that it takes them time begging heads of other departments to provide them with transport means whenever they get reports from their informers about people smuggling goods.
The officer expressed the frustration of understaffing and lack of manpower in their department to enforce against illegal practices in the area.
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