Uganda Planned New Road to Divert Commercial Traffic
A new border crossing at Mulwanda aims to reduce congestion and logistics costs for cross-border trade operators.
Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in International Trade
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Parliamentary leadership has directed the Ministry of Works and Transport to construct a 12-kilometer road at Mulwanda. The project creates a third border crossing point between Uganda and Kenya to shift heavy commercial vehicle traffic away from Busia town.
Why it matters
The route is designed to decongest existing crossings at Busia and Malaba, potentially lowering transit times and operating costs for businesses moving goods between the two nations. It leverages completed infrastructure on the Kenyan side to facilitate more efficient international trade.
The road spans 12 kilometers to link Lumino Sub-County to the border. The initiative complements a broader 600 million shilling Village Empowerment Seed Capital fund, which currently has 100 million shillings in active capital.
The players
Jacob Marksons Oboth
The Speaker of Parliament who directed the Ministry of Works and Transport to prioritize the Mulwanda border infrastructure project.
Julius Wandera Maganda
The Minister of State for Works and Transport and Member of Parliament for Samia Bugwe South responsible for overseeing the road execution.
The details
The directive requires the Ministry of Works and Transport to establish a transit route that bypasses the busy Busia town center. To accelerate the project, officials suggested building a murram road initially if immediate paving is not feasible. This infrastructure shift aims to provide a faster and cheaper route for heavy commercial trucks operating across the Kenya-Uganda border.
Timeline
October 10, 2026: Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth issued the road construction directive.
2027-2030: The implementation period for the Village Empowerment Seed Capital program.
Market Landscape
This development follows a pattern of regional infrastructure projects designed to align with the East African Community Customs Management Act. The road serves as a targeted effort to improve transit efficiency at a major continental corridor.
Logistics operators and cross-border businesses should track the shift from the current Busia town route to the new Mulwanda crossing once construction concludes. Monitor future ministry procurement notices for specific contract opportunities related to the road surface and regional agricultural input distribution.
The takeaway
The move signals a government priority to lower transit friction by de-risking congestion at major border points. Operators should monitor the Ministry of Works and Transport updates regarding the road's completion date to adjust future routing strategies accordingly.
Further reading
For broader trends in regional infrastructure, view our International Trade section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ChimpReports.
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