The national government in liaison with other East African Community States has taken an initiative of modernising the major border points by contracting One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs).
According to senior assistant director in the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Wakhungu Juma, the facilities will be cost effective and not cumbersome for cross-border movement of both goods and persons.
Juma was speaking on Wednesday afternoon at a Kisumu hotel during a workshop. He said that there will be 15 border points and Kenya will implement six of these.
"Currently, we have two border stops, you start with the exit controls once done one crosses the border and does entry controls. One stop border point is a game changer. We are moving away from the tradition of doing two stops. We are collapsing those stops into one," said Wakhungu.
He added, "All the controls, both exit and entry formalities will be done in the country of entry. Officers from the adjoining states will be deployed in both facilities. Asuming you are heading to Mwanza, Tarime from Kisumu, you proceed up to Tanzania to the one stop border point where you will find Kenyan officers seated alongside their counterparts from Tanzania."
Wakhungu said that Kenya officers will do exit controls and hand over the same to the Tanzanian officers who will do entry controls before one proceeds stopping only once.
"For Kenya, there will be six border points while the whole region there will be 15 borders points. Busia border point 90% to be complete, what is remaining is final finishes on the road," said Juma.
He said that the Kenya-Uganda border will be done in a month or two months' time adding that the contractor is working around the clock to ensure the one stop border points are complete.
"The one at Namanga facility is at 88 percent, the contractor has done civil works, the main building has been put up. So there are a few structures to be completed and it will be ready after three months from now," said Juma.
He added, "The Lunga Lunga-Horo Horo facility is complete. Lunga Lunga is at the Kenyan border while Horo Horo is in Tanzania. Isebania-Sirare border is complete and it's just a matter of civil works and the structure is complete."