The long-awaited Kisumu–Busia/Kakira–Malaba Multinational Expressway has been confirmed as a viable and investment-ready project, setting the stage for a major transformation in cross-border trade and transport between Kenya and Uganda.
This development was announced during a market sounding conference held at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, organized by the East African Community (EAC).
The event brought together senior government officials, financiers, and private sector stakeholders, who endorsed the nearly 200-kilometre expressway as a key infrastructure milestone for the region.
Supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and implemented under the EAC framework, the project is financed through the NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (NEPAD-IPPF).
It forms part of a wider regional network designed to boost connectivity, facilitate trade, and strengthen integration across East Africa.
Once complete, the expressway will drastically cut travel time, ease congestion, and improve the flow of goods and people along one of the region’s busiest transport routes the Trans-African Highway and EAC Regional Trunk Road Network.
Speaking at the event, Minister for Works and Transport, Gen. (Rtd.) Katumba Wamala, underscored the strategic importance of the Northern Corridor, describing it as the main transport artery linking Uganda and the Great Lakes Region to the port of Mombasa.
“It directly supports the aspiration of Uganda’s Vision 2040 and our Fourth National Development Plan to modernize transport systems, promote trade, and connect Uganda’s cities, border posts, and economic zones to efficient, safe, and sustainable infrastructure,” he said.
Katumba emphasized that the project was more than a physical road — it is an economic catalyst for shared prosperity and integration.
“We are happy to say that at East Africa, Kenya and Uganda, we are getting together to develop this in an experienced way, to enable our trade and our transportation to greatly improve. As you know, Kenya is our biggest trade partner, and it’s also our entry to East Africa. So this infrastructure will not only be beneficial for us, Uganda, and Kenya, but the whole of East Africa, because the faster the goods move, the better.”
He further noted that the private sector will play a critical role in delivering the project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, adding that financial negotiations with a potential contractor are nearing completion.
On his part, Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social, and Political Sectors, highlighted the project’s regional impact.
“The expressway will run from Kisumu to Jinja with the intention to decongest the northern corridor and to enhance and facilitate the quotation of goods through Uganda to Rwanda and to the Republic of South Sudan,” he explained.
Malueth said the new road would significantly reduce travel time and transport costs, improving trade efficiency and lowering commodity prices across East Africa.
“The road will be beneficial to the community as it will reduce the time that is taken by our vehicles moving all the way from Mombasa to maybe Kampala or even to Eastern Congo. The time will be reduced. The cost of buying those goods will also be reduced. So, the community is so proud to champion this project that it’s going to benefit the East Africans because the community aims to facilitate the trade.”
He further stressed the need to develop a smart corridor, integrating digital technology, safety, and inclusivity in design.
“Eighty percent of projects fail at the preparation stage. The support provided by EAC Development Partners has enabled the Community to prepare high-quality, bankable regional infrastructure projects that have successfully attracted both public and private financing,” he noted.
Eng. Charles Wani, the Commissioner for National Roads in Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport, revealed that the expressway will also feature major border post upgrades to facilitate smoother movement across entry points.
“As part of this project, there are going to be improvements of the one-stop border post, and the target is Luakaka. The next one in the future, which will work jointly with our brothers from Kenya, is the one that connects just below Busia, a place called Lumino. It’s a very shortcut to connect traffic to Kampala through Lumino, and all three border posts actually will ease congestion across the border.”
He reiterated the importance of Public-Private Partnerships, stating that no single government can fund such large-scale infrastructure projects alone.
“Large-scale infrastructure investment cannot be achieved in isolation. We must embrace Public-Private Partnerships and other blended financing models to deliver transformative projects.”
From Kenya’s side, Eng. Charles Obuon, the Director in charge of Public-Private Partnerships at the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), emphasized the expressway’s potential to close long-standing gaps in regional transport infrastructure.
“Regional transport infrastructure remains poorly connected due to missing links on cross-border corridors. This expressway project will catalyze economic growth and enhance the competitiveness of the EAC region,” he said.
The Kisumu–Busia/Kakira–Malaba Expressway, once completed, is expected to become one of the most significant infrastructure projects in East Africa — redefining trade, transport, and cooperation between Kenya, Uganda, and the wider Great Lakes region.
