Traders using the Holili/ Taveta border post between Tanzania and Kenya said they have started benefiting from the newly established One Stop Border Post (OSBP) as of now the time for cargo clearing has reduced significantly.
John Omomdi, a Nairobi-based trader, on Sunday described the East African Community’s facility as important tool towards realizing the potential benefits of the trading bloc.

“As traders, we’re very optimistic that the facility will make East African business community benefit out of the community as it promotes trade between countries,” the cereal crop trader said, as clearing his maize cargo at the border.

Under the OSBP arrangement, cargo clearance, immigration, customs and other border transit tasks are done in one roof unlike in the past when each country would do on its side.

The East African Community’s project is part of the implementation of the custom union and common market protocols-among the key pillars of the trading bloc with a population of more than 130 million people.

“This is a welcoming endeavor as it will take the region extra miles in terms of development,” Omondi said.

According to him, East African governments need also to reduce non-tariff barriers (NTBs) for the on-transit goods.

Holili/ Taveta border post between Kenya and Tanzania is currently operating whereby experts have it that before its opening it took 33 hours to clear vehicles carrying cargo across the border.

“But now, it takes only nine hours for the documents to be processed at the border post,” said Daniel Muturi, OSBP project manager.

Muturo echoed traders’ views, saying before having this project, it took 33 hours to clear vehicles carrying cargo across the border, now takes only nine hours for the documents to be processed at the border post.

Tanzanian immigration officer Edwin Mwasota said it took only 10 minutes at the maximum to process the travel documents.

“This OSBP, is aimed at easing cross border trade in EAC and this is what we started experiencing as traders doesn’t spend time at the post as it was before,” he said.

Source: Coastweek

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