Senators Probe Stalled Projects and Border Trade Inefficiencies as Busia Hosts Senate Mashinani
Senators have pitched camp in Busia County this week under the Senate Mashinani initiative, launching a deep assessment of cross-border trade, stalled public projects, and financial management challenges affecting the border region. The Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration began its engagements at the Malaba and Busia One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), where lawmakers met with officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Immigration Department. Their focus is on improving the movement of goods and people and strengthening cooperation between Kenyan and Ugandan border agencies under the East African Community (EAC) integration framework.
The lawmakers are also scrutinizing abandoned infrastructure projects that have hampered Busia’s economic potential, including idle trailer parks in Malaba, Mundika, and a 200-acre parcel in Ngelechom earmarked for a logistics hub. Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah told colleagues that the stalled facilities could generate up to KSh720 million annually if operational, noting that delays in completing the parks continue to worsen congestion at the border. He wants the Senate Roads and Transport Committee to investigate how much money was allocated, disbursed, and spent on the projects, alongside reviewing procurement records to determine whether public funds were lost. The senator has also raised alarm over the stalled KSh600 million Busia Stadium project, which he says has recorded no meaningful progress despite appearing in two County Integrated Development Plans. His plea is for a full audit of the project before any relocation or redesign is approved.
Beyond infrastructure, senators are holding financial accountability meetings with Governor Paul Otuoma, particularly on pending bills and expenditure management. Meanwhile, the Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism is exploring Busia’s cultural and tourism assets, including the Kakapel Prehistoric Site and the Ng’alechom Ape Sanctuary, as part of efforts to diversify the county’s economic opportunities. This year’s Mashinani sittings aim to strengthen collaboration between the Senate and county governments while enhancing direct engagement with citizens. Busia becomes the latest county to host the initiative, following previous sittings in Uasin Gishu, Kitui, and Turkana before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the program.