The Uganda Chamber of Commerce has petitioned regional authorities seeking to compel Kenya and Tanzania to guarantee Uganda’s uninterrupted access to the Indian Ocean, due to persistent disruptions, delays and growing costs that continue to affect traders and importers.
The Chamber filed the petition before the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), arguing that Uganda’s rights as a landlocked country are protected under international conventions and regional agreements, yet are repeatedly undermined by transit challenges along the Mombasa and Dar es Salaam corridors.
According to the Chamber’s leadership, Ugandan businesses have endured recurring bottlenecks including port congestion, labour strikes, inconsistent customs procedures and sudden policy shifts which they say have pushed up the cost of transporting goods and weakened the country’s competitiveness.
The petition asks the regional court to direct Kenya and Tanzania to honour obligations that allow Uganda predictable passage to the ocean and to establish frameworks that prevent arbitrary restrictions or delays. The Chamber maintains that Uganda should not depend solely on diplomatic goodwill to move its goods, especially when supply chains are easily shaken by riots, political tensions or port shutdowns.
Business leaders say the move aligns with recent statements from President Yoweri Museveni, who urged Ugandans to rethink the country’s reliance on coastal neighbours for trade access. While Kenya’s President William Ruto has publicly assured that Uganda retains its traditional rights to the sea, traders insist that verbal commitments must be reinforced by enforceable agreements.
The Chamber believes the case is critical for safeguarding Uganda’s long term economic interests, noting that consistent ocean access would stabilise import timelines, lower transport costs and protect exporters from losses caused by unpredictable transit disruptions.
The East African Court of Justice is expected to examine the petition in the coming months, setting the stage for what could become a landmark case on the rights of landlocked states within the region.