193km Uganda–Kenya Expressway to boost trade and ease travel
The expressway will link Malaba, Busia, and Lwakhakha border points, turning them into modern One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) designed to ease the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries.
Engineer John Okumu speaking at the East African Community (EAC) symposium, dubbed the Market Sounding Conference, at the Sheraton Hotel Kampala on October 20, 2025. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
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An East African Community (EAC) symposium, dubbed the Market Sounding Conference, is underway at the Sheraton Hotel Kampala today, October 20, 2025. The high-level forum brings together government officials, development partners, and private investors to chart the way forward for the proposed 193km Kenya–Uganda Malaba Expressway, a key regional infrastructure project aimed at transforming mobility and trade along the northern corridor.
The expressway will link Malaba, Busia, and Lwakhakha border points, turning them into modern One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) designed to ease the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries. Once completed, the project is expected to reduce congestion, shorten travel times, and enhance the efficiency of cross-border transport within the EAC bloc.
Private-public partnership model
At the heart of the symposium are discussions around funding options and public–private partnership (PPP) finance models. Delegates are exploring collaboration between the Ugandan and Kenyan governments, development finance institutions, and private investors to ensure the project’s sustainability and bankability.
Delegates attending the Market Sounding Conference. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
(Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
According to officials, the expressway is part of a broader regional strategy to improve logistics and connectivity for landlocked countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Better road infrastructure is seen as a cornerstone for boosting intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
A lifeline for regional commerce
Currently, the Kampala -Jinja highway, a two-lane bitumen carriageway, is struggling to accommodate the surging traffic of long-haul trucks, passenger vehicles, and cross-border buses. The resulting congestion has increased transit times, fuel consumption, and vehicle maintenance costs.
“Every extra hour spent in traffic is a loss to traders and transporters,” one road user, Robert Kiboli, remarked during an earlier stakeholder meeting. “We need faster, safer, and more reliable roads to keep our goods moving.”
The expressway will serve as a critical segment of the Northern Corridor, the main artery linking the port of Mombasa to Uganda and beyond. Once operational, it will significantly cut travel time between Kampala and the Kenyan border, facilitating smoother movement of imports and exports.
Backed by feasibility studies
A $1.4 million grant has funded feasibility studies covering traffic forecasts, engineering assessments, and environmental impact analyses. These studies will guide the final project design and investment decisions.
Transport experts believe the expressway will also spur industrial growth along the route, attract logistics hubs, and create thousands of jobs during and after construction.
Godfrey Enzama, Principal Civil Engineer, makes a presentation. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
As one EAC infrastructure official noted, Godfrey Ezama, “This expressway isn’t just about connecting two countries - it’s about linking economies, people, and opportunities across East Africa.”
L-R: Cui Yun from COVEL, Meshack Okebe-Traffic Engineer and Godfrey Enzama, Principal Civil Engineer. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
With growing optimism among stakeholders, the Malaba Expressway is shaping up to be a landmark project that will redefine the way people and goods move across the Uganda-Kenya border, paving the way for a more integrated and prosperous region.
