Decades of bureaucratic rivalry and logistical bottlenecks that have choked regional trade may finally be coming to an end. In a landmark development, the custodians of East Africa’s two most critical trade arteries have signed a binding pact to harmonize operations and slash the cost of doing business.

The Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA) and the Central Corridor Transit and Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA) put pen to paper in Mombasa on Tuesday, January 20, effectively merging their strategic vision for the region. The Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) is not just a document; it is a roadmap to decongesting the Great Lakes region.

Unlocking Lake Victoria

At the heart of the deal is the revival of the Lake Victoria transport network. NCTTCA Executive Secretary John Deng and his Central Corridor counterpart, Okandju Okonge Flory, identified the lake as the "sleeping giant" of regional logistics.

"We have ignored the water for too long, forcing heavy cargo onto our deteriorating roads," Deng remarked during the signing ceremony at Nyali. "This agreement creates a joint framework to dredge ports, harmonize navigation safety, and make the lake a viable alternative for moving fuel and containers to Uganda and Tanzania."

• Green Corridors: The agencies committed to a "Green Freight" strategy, incentivizing low-carbon transport modes to reduce the heavy carbon footprint of long-haul trucking.
• Data Sharing: A unified digital platform will now track cargo from Mombasa and Dar es Salaam to the hinterland, eliminating the "blind spots" where non-tariff barriers thrive.

The Economic Ripple Effect

For the Kenyan trader, this means efficiency. Currently, moving a container from Mombasa to Kampala costs approximately KES 300,000 ($2,300), a figure bloated by delays and weighbridge corruption. The harmonized policies aim to cut this by up to 15% within two years.

By ceasing to compete and starting to collaborate, the Northern and Central corridors have signaled that they are ready to facilitate trade, not frustrate it. The private sector now waits to see if the political will can match the technical ambition.