Why Ugandans should seize Kenya MOUs

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OPINION

By Olive Kigongo

When Uganda and Kenya signed eight new bilateral agreements at the end of July 2025, it was more than just a diplomatic formality. It was a declaration of intent — bold, pragmatic and long overdue. The Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI), welcomes these accords not merely for their symbolism, but for the real and tangible economic opportunities they unlock for our country.

The agreements — covering trade, agriculture, infrastructure, mining, fisheries, tourism, standards and urban development — bring to 25 the total number of frameworks guiding co-operation between our two nations.

We must begin by expressing our sincere gratitude to President Yoweri Museveni and President William Ruto for their foresight and statesmanship. Their willingness to go beyond rhetoric and put pen to paper on these memoranda of understanding (MOUs) reflects a shared understanding that East Africa’s future lies in unity, co-operation and economic complementarity.

Their shared vision for a more deeply integrated East Africa aligns perfectly with the aspirations of our business community. The harmonisation of standards between the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and Kenya’s KNBS is one of the most significant breakthroughs.

For years, non-tariff barriers and inconsistent regulatory practices have disproportionately affected small and medium enterprises, many of whom cannot afford costly re-certifications or lengthy delays at customs.

With streamlined standards, Ugandan goods — from maize and coffee to processed foods and pharmaceuticals can move more freely, reliably and competitively across Kenyan markets.

This will boost export volumes, strengthen brand credibility, and lower the cost of doing business, particularly for SMEs seeking to scale regionally. Equally significant are the agreements on transport and infrastructure. Kenya’s commitment to dual the Nairobi Nakuru-Mau Summit highway, combined with Uganda’s upgrades to roads like the Kapchorwa-Suam corridor, will cut transit times, reduce vehicle operating costs and ease pressure on logistics firms. But the bigger prize is the long-envisioned extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) into Uganda.

If realised, this railway will fundamentally change the cost structure of moving goods between Mombasa and Kampala, turning Uganda from being a landlocked country into a land-linked one — a natural transit hub for eastern Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda and northern Tanzania.

Agriculture and fisheries — sectors that employ millions and feed even more also stand to benefit. The agreements on veterinary collaboration, cross-border disease control and joint fisheries management are not just technical achievements; they are economic enablers.

Shared protocols on livestock movement and fisheries protection will help stabilise incomes and reduce the risk of market disruptions. In border communities where tensions have occasionally flared — such as around Migingo Island. These accords offer a path to shared prosperity based on co-operation and sustainable resource use.

The mining MOU is another milestone. For decades, Uganda and Kenya have exported unprocessed minerals, only to re-import them in finished form at a premium. The new agreement aims at reversing this by promoting value addition, responsible extraction and smuggling control. This is the kind of forward-thinking regional policy that will help both countries capture more of the value chain, create skilled jobs and boost industrial growth.

Similarly, the investment promotion frameworks open new avenues for capital to flow more easily between our economies. With a formal mechanism for investor protection, information exchange and dispute resolution, both Ugandan and Kenyan businesses now have a more reliable platform for expansion and partnership.

Tourism, a sector often sidelined in hard economic negotiations, gets a welcome boost through joint marketing and destination development. By pooling our natural and cultural assets, Uganda and Kenya can attract more international visitors who are increasingly seeking multi-country itineraries. A tourist who lands in Nairobi can more easily be persuaded to spend a week exploring Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Murchison Falls National Park or the Source of the Nile. This will not only grow revenues but deepen cultural ties and promote people-to-people diplomacy.

The Greater Busia Metropolitan Development MOU is a vision of integration made concrete. By planning jointly for shared infrastructure, customs efficiency, utilities, and border markets, Uganda and Kenya are turning the border town into a symbol of regional co-operation.

An engine of mutual growth. All these agreements are not ends in themselves, but instruments to fast-track the implementation of the East African Community’s Common Market Protocol, laying the foundation for the freer movement of goods, services, labour, and capital. This is how we move from aspiration to integration — from speeches to shared prosperity.

Whether you are in agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, tourism, finance, or professional services, there is something in these MOUs that can help businesses grow. This is the time to form joint ventures, explore new markets, and speak with one regional voice. The ink on the agreements is still fresh—but the clock is already ticking.

The writer is the UNCCI president