Traders who are engaged in both the export and import of agricultural products in Uganda and Kenya via Busia Border Point have accused an agricultural inspector, Doreen Rukuba of levying illegal charges on their trucks.
In their petition, the traders claimed that Rukuba, an agricultural inspector with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries who is in charge of inspection and clearance of all the agricultural products has been levying additional charges between thirty and four thousand shillings per truck.
A source said Rukuba collects the said loot from traders through a mobile money agent where every trader must pay about Shs30,000 or UGX40,000 depending on the products, a charge that is considered way beyond the required five thousand shillings.
The source adds that traders, including clearing agents who operate from Busia Border, are irritated and concerned about illegal charges, which they claim are crippling their businesses.
According to the traders, most of their goods often get spoiled due to delayed clearance since, at times, it takes them a long time to mobilize money to pay for the exorbitant illegal charges.
“A truck entering Kenya is cleared at 30,000 to 40,000 Ugandan shillings, and you are required to pay to a money mobile agent belonging to Rukuba, not to the government bank account,” revealed the traders.
In March 2022 and March 2023, the traders claimed nobody had responded to their demands for immediate action by the authority; they now want the Ministers of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze, and Trade and Investment, Evelyn Anite, to come to their rescue.
They want Rukuba removed and replaced by another officer who can serve them in accordance with the law.
“We wrote our petitions about the said officer, who has been at the border for the last 13 years with the same injustices and corruption, but no action has been taken against her, and we continue to suffer,” said the traders.
Juma Yahaya, secretary of the Clearing Agents Association, said Rukuba told them that the money she collects through mobile money goes to the Commissioner.
Yahaya said the ministry of agriculture and trade needs to urgently intervene in the matter.
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Thank u the nile POS
This is Busia and you wonder how the officers in the said departments operate. There was a day when I was personally I was harassed with those people at points. I was carring 70 kg of Casava for my family. From village to town. I was not a where of their stop points. I saw a person in non uniform trying to stop me, in mind I hoped that they are those stores people want to buy Casava. I didn’t stop I continue. This person flowed me with a motorbike hooting I told boad man who was carring me stop. When he reached throw down his old motorbike and he was trying take the from our motorbike. I come out off and pick phone took some photos then i asked to identify himself. Instead he picked his phone and call someone in the office. He allerged that we have been fighting him. They took our motorbike and Casava. In certain office from Nangwe to the main market. They told us we have not paid 500 Ugx and they forced us to pay 50000sh. I just paid this money under pain. But what bits my understanding they this money even before I left their office. It true people are mistreated so much in Busia.