Uganda Intervenes After Tanzania Locks Out Kenyan Businesses

President William Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have signed a series of new bilateral agreements during Museveni’s official visit to Nairobi, just a day after Tanzania announced a ban affecting certain Kenyan businesses operating within its borders.

The two leaders met at State House, where they finalised eight new deals, increasing the total number of cooperation and trade agreements between Kenya and Uganda to 25.

Among the latest agreements is a collaboration between the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (UNBS), aimed at boosting scientific and technical knowledge-sharing.

President William Ruto with his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, during his official visit to State House, Nairobi on July 30, 2025. /PCS

This partnership also aims to support legitimate trade and crack down on illicit cross-border commerce.

Another major outcome of the visit was a joint commitment to resolve the long-standing Migingo Island dispute, where territorial tensions have flared between Kenyan and Ugandan communities.

This issue will now be addressed through a new Fisheries and Aquaculture agreement, which sets out a formal framework for cooperation in managing shared water resources.

Transport and infrastructure were also key focus areas. Both countries agreed to strengthen trade by improving logistics and transport networks along shared routes.

President Ruto briefed Museveni on the progress of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Malaba Highway dualling project, which is expected to significantly boost the movement of goods and people between Kenya, Uganda, and the wider Great Lakes region.

The two presidents also pledged to fast-track the Busia Metro Project, scheduled for 2025 to 2028. This cross-border initiative aims to stimulate regional economic growth and deepen local community ties.

It will also upgrade the One Stop Border Post in Busia and improve transport links between the area and the Port of Mombasa.

Additional agreements signed during Museveni’s visit covered cooperation in tourism, mining, agriculture, property rights development for local governments, and animal technology.

To further promote cultural ties and tourism among Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan, President Ruto announced the creation of a special committee and the appointment of a cultural envoy.

“I have appointed a special envoy for the Atekeri people, which spans the Teso of Uganda and Kenya, the Karamojong, the Turkana, and all the way to the people of South Sudan, just to leverage the culture, tradition, and tourism of the communities living in that region,” Ruto said.