Systems compared
One-stop border posts in East Africa
Short answer
- Regional law
- EAC One Stop Border Posts Act, 2016, assented 1 December 2015 1
- Gazette
- Act Supplement No. 2, EAC Gazette No. 4 of 15 April 2016 1
- Commencement
- On a date the Council appoints by Gazette notice, section 1(2) 1
- Pairs in the Schedule
- 15 1
- Regulations
- EAC One Stop Border Posts Regulations, 2017 2
- Rule of sequence
- Exit state acts before the entry state, regulation 6(1) 2
What the law sets up
Section 4 of the Act requires Partner States to set up and run OSBPs at their common borders 1. A control zone is the part of the host state where officers of the neighbouring state carry out border controls. Section 5 lets zones be juxtaposed, straddled, wholly within one state or arranged in another agreed way 1. Section 7 requires demarcation of each zone to be agreed and published in the national gazette 1.
The 2017 Regulations were made by the Council of Ministers. Their title page refers to section 55 of the EAC One Stop Border Posts Act, 2013, a different year from the Act's short title 2. Under regulation 6, jurisdiction is sequential and the exit state acts first. Controls are to run at the same time with joint inspections where practical 2. Each state names one lead agency for administrative matters (regulation 3) 2. Officers and facilitation agents must wear badges in the control zone (regulations 8 and 9) 2.
The 15 pairs in the Act
The Schedule to section 51 lists the posts below 1. The last column shows the TRA list of working posts, read on 24 October 2026, for pairs on Tanzania's borders 3.
| Countries | Post, first country | Post, second country | On TRA working list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya and Tanzania 1 | Taveta 1 | Holili 1 | Yes 3 |
| Kenya and Tanzania 1 | Isebania 1 | Sirari 1 | Yes 3 |
| Kenya and Tanzania 1 | Namanga 1 | Namanga 1 | Yes 3 |
| Kenya and Tanzania 1 | Lunga Lunga 1 | Horohoro 1 | Yes 3 |
| Kenya and Uganda 1 | Busia 1 | Busia 1 | Not a Tanzanian post 3 |
| Kenya and Uganda 1 | Malaba 1 | Malaba 1 | Not a Tanzanian post 3 |
| Tanzania and Uganda 1 | Mutukula 1 | Mutukula 1 | Yes 3 |
| Burundi and Rwanda 1 | Gasenyi 1 | Nemba 1 | Not a Tanzanian post 3 |
| Burundi and Rwanda 1 | Ruhwa 1 | Ruhwa 1 | Not a Tanzanian post 3 |
| Burundi and Rwanda 1 | Kanyaru 1 | Akanyaru 1 | Not a Tanzanian post 3 |
| Rwanda and Uganda 1 | Kagitumba 1 | Mirama Hills 1 | Not a Tanzanian post 3 |
| Rwanda and Uganda 1 | Gatuna 1 | Katuna 1 | Not a Tanzanian post 3 |
| Burundi and Tanzania 1 | Mugina 1 | Manyovu 1 | Not listed 3 |
| Burundi and Tanzania 1 | Kobero 1 | Kabanga 1 | Yes 3 |
| Rwanda and Tanzania 1 | Rusumo 1 | Rusumo 1 | Yes 3 |
Posts outside the Schedule
TRA lists Tunduma and Nakonde on the Tanzania and Zambia border as a working OSBP. It is not in the EAC Act's Schedule 1,3.
TradeMark Africa says the Nimule OSBP in South Sudan was built with the Ministry of Transport and completed in 2020. It says the post has parking and an inspection yard for 150 trucks and that the Nimule and Elegu border handles over 80% of goods entering South Sudan 6. Nimule and Elegu are not in the Act's Schedule 1.
How a crossing works
TRA says all OSBPs on Tanzania's borders use the juxtaposed model 3. Traffic goes straight to the control zone of the country of entry. Exit procedures are completed before entry procedures, travellers and documents go through one clearance hall, and any cargo inspection is done jointly by both states at the same time 3. TRA gives Nemba and Gasenyi as an example of a straddled post and Ruhwa as an example of a post wholly in one state 3.
Dated facts by post
- Rusumo, Rwanda and Tanzania: the OSBP opened on 1 March 2016. Japan gave JPY 3.72 billion, about USD 35.4 million, in grant aid. Clearance on both sides separately could take about 14 hours, against about 5 to 10 hours at the OSBP, according to the Government of Japan 4
- Namanga, Kenya and Tanzania: JICA funded design and building on the Tanzanian side and the African Development Bank funded the Kenyan side. The JICA page does not give an opening date 5
- Kobero and Kabanga, Burundi and Tanzania: TradeMark Africa lists a Kobero OSBP item marked 2011 to 2017. It gives no opening date or cost 7
- Nimule, South Sudan: TradeMark Africa reports clearance at Nimule fell from 4 hours in 2013 to 2 hours in 2021, and at Elegu from 60 hours to 1.5 hours, citing a 2021 independent evaluation 6
Common questions
What is a one stop border post?
It is a border post where officers of both countries work in one control zone, so traffic stops once. The exit state acts before the entry state 1,2.
Is Busia a one stop border post?
Busia on the Kenya and Uganda border is one of the 15 pairs in the Schedule to the EAC One Stop Border Posts Act, 2016 1.
Is Tunduma a one stop border post?
TRA lists Tunduma and Nakonde as a working OSBP. It is not in the EAC Act's Schedule 1,3.
When did Rusumo one stop border post open?
The Government of Japan says the Rusumo OSBP opened on 1 March 2016 4.
Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@eastafricatradesystems.com.
Sources
- East African Legislative Assembly: East African Community One Stop Border Posts Act, 2016 (Gazette of 15 April 2016)
- East African Community, copy hosted by TRA: The East African Community One Stop Border Posts Regulations, 2017
- Tanzania Revenue Authority: One Stop Border Post (OSBP) (accessed 24 October 2026)
- Government of Japan, We Are Tomodachi: New International Bridge and Customs Post Cross-Border Transport (undated, accessed 24 October 2026)
- JICA report library: One Stop Border Post at Namanga (undated)
- TradeMark Africa, provider page: South Sudan (accessed 24 October 2026)
- TradeMark Africa, provider page: Burundi (accessed 24 October 2026)
Related
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- Central Corridor: Dar es Salaam to the Great Lakes
The Central Corridor links Dar es Salaam port to Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, eastern DRC, Malawi and Zambia. Agreement, routes, border posts and volumes.
- Dar es Salaam to Lusaka corridor
Road and rail link between Dar es Salaam and Zambia: the TAZARA railway, the Tunduma and Nakonde border post, the 2025 concession and cargo volumes.
- South Sudan customs and trade systems
South Sudan's revenue authority, the e-Tax rule for duties, the Nimule border post, EAC and Northern Corridor membership and audit findings.
- Burundi customs and trade systems
Burundi's revenue office OBR, its ASYCUDA World customs system, the medicines single window, border posts and the EAC and COMESA rules it applies.