MIRAMA HILLS, Uganda – The Mirama Hills One Stop Border Post (OSBP) linking Rwanda and Uganda is now fully operational on a 24-hour basis, but Ugandan officials at the new facility have been cautioned against asking for bribes writes SHARON KYATUMIISIRE

Last week, Alex B. Okello, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport said, “This is an investment that has been put up by the government of Uganda to ease transportation of goods in and out of the country.

“Let’s make this facility work for the people, including the local community. Avoid bribes here from smugglers and ensure transparency to all users,” he said.

He was officiating at the technical handover of the OSBP to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) in western Uganda.

The official commissioning of the two border posts (Kagitumba in Rwanda and Mirama Hills) will be done by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni later in the year.

The refurbished border post contains sections for customs, the immigration department, a goods inspection hall, a clearing agency block and a police post. The facility cost $7.8 million to construct, financed by TradeMark Africa and the government.

Work started in July 2013 when the site was handed over to the winning contractors after ab idding process, Dott Services Limited.

Dickson Kateshumba, the Commissioner of Customs in URA, said the facility will be open 24 hours.

He said all the relevant staff will be under one roof to ensure faster delivery of services. He said the upgraded border post will not only boost trade, but business as well, and asked the local residents to use the facility to develop their area.

Previously, the Mirama Hills border post was avoided by many business people. This was because of the inadequate structural facilities at the station and a poor road network on the Uganda side. Consequently traders preferred Katuna border post further south.

Source: East African Business Week

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