Members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) have called for urgent action to address road toll disputes, customs system gaps, inefficient border post operations and other practices they say are increasing trade costs and slowing regional integration.

The concerns emerged this week during EALA plenary in Arusha, Tanzania, during a debate on a report by the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment based on a March 2026 oversight exercise on One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) across the East African Community (EAC).

While presenting the report, the committee chairperson MP Francine Rutazana said OSBPs have improved trade facilitation, but remain constrained by infrastructure gaps, poor coordination, incompatible customs systems, staffing shortages and rising cargo volumes.

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Road toll dispute

EALA lawmakers highlighted differing road toll regimes. Overall, Tanzania and Uganda charge about $10 per 100km, while Rwanda and Burundi apply a flat fee of about $152.

Rutazana told The New Times the dispute stems from concerns that distance-based charges disadvantage countries with smaller territories and shorter transport routes, which argue that applying the same rates used by countries with longer routes would not generate enough revenue for road maintenance.

"Tanzania wants Rwanda to charge per kilometres, but Rwanda argues that such charges would not generate enough revenue to maintain its roads," Rutazana said.

Ugandan MP Mary Mugyenyi said that while the existence of different road toll systems may be understandable, practices that favour some transporters over others are a major concern.

"What is not really excusable is the fact that that system then benefit the Tanzanian trucks drivers, at the cost of expenses of the drivers of other partner states&039; truck owners/drivers. And that needs to be corrected, so that the same measure applies to all."

The EALA committee recommended harmonisation of road tolls and other cross-border charges in a way that eases business and lowers costs.

Stay fee dispute

Rutazana also questioned Tanzania’s requirement for EAC citizens to pay a $100 fee (about Rwf150,000) after three months of stay, saying EAC rules allow up to six months without such charges.

"Tanzania is imposing that $100 for a person crossing and staying in the country for less than six months... That is contravening the EAC treaty and customs territory legal framework," she said.

Mugyenyi voiced the same concern. "East African citizens are supposed to enter and live wherever they want as long as they are following the procedures.”

Addressing border inefficiencies

Lawmakers also raised concerns about border posts operating 12 hours instead of 24 hours a day, citing Taveta-Holili on the Kenya–Tanzania border and Kobero-Kabanga on the Burundi–Tanzania border. The EALA committee found that staffing shortages on the Kenyan side limit full operations at Taveta-Holili, causing delays and long truck queues.

"That is not excusable. That is in contradiction with what the policies or the Treaty is supposed to be, or the purpose of establishing the One Stop Border Posts, which is to ensure efficiency in business," Mugyenyi said.

Rwanda's MP Fatuma Ndangiza urged the EAC Council of Ministers to call for harmonisation of working hours not only at Taveta/Holili, but also at other borders where the same challenge exists.

The committee also cited non-interoperable customs systems such as ASYCUDA and TANCIS, which slow clearance as officers cannot access each other’s data.

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Transit bond issue

Rutazana said a security bond issued in Mombasa is not recognised in Tanzania because it does not use the COMESA transit guarantee system, forcing traders to buy a second bond and increasing costs and delays.

Tanzanian MP Kambarage Wasira underscored the cost implications of the system, noting that a security bond issued in Mombasa effectively becomes invalid once trucks reach the Taveta-Holili border post.

"This is not just a technical footnote. It is a cost in time, a cost in capital, an unnecessary cost that is imposed on traders and consumers," Wasira said.

Infrastructure pressure

The house committee warned that rising cargo volumes are overwhelming border infrastructure, particularly Taveta-Holili, now a key transit route due to its shorter connection between major corridors.

"Taveta/Holili which started as a community border, has become an international border, due to an increasing volume of trucks deviating from Mombasa to Rusumo as the route is shorter than passing through Nairobi-Kampala-Kigali," Ndangiza said.

She called for expanded infrastructure and stronger border management.

Tanzanian MP Gladness Ladislaus Salema said it is high time that EAC had have a holistic review of the OSBP model to "see if it is really fitting the current development the EAC needs, considering the growth in volume which is day by day increasing."

The EALA committee recommended harmonising customs systems, infrastructure expansion, staffing increases, coordinated border management and aligned working hours to improve regional trade efficiency.