Uganda’s private sector leaders have reignited the long-standing national debate on the country’s access to the Indian Ocean, citing persistent trade disruptions, regional policy violations, and escalating risks that continue to hinder Uganda’s import and export flows.
The Uganda Chamber of Commerce (UCC), working with the Entrepreneurs’ League and other business associations, says the matter can no longer be ignored, especially after fresh complaints from traders and President Museveni’s recent remarks urging Ugandans to rethink the country’s reliance on neighbouring states for transit.
Speaking to journalists in Kampala on November 26, the lead counsel for the petition, Mr Edison Ruyondo, said the Chamber has formally petitioned the Attorneys General of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to revisit and enforce legal frameworks that guarantee landlocked states access to the sea.
‘When there are riots and other disruptions in neighboring countries, it is Uganda that suffers the most, especially our business community. That is why we are excited as the Chamber to petition the three governments, this issue is long overdue,’ Mr Ruyondo said.
He noted that despite Uganda being landlocked, several international and regional instruments, some dating back decades, clearly outline Uganda’s right to secure transit routes, port access and coastal land for trade infrastructure.
These include the 1965 Convention on Transit Trade of Landlocked States, the East African Community Treaty amendment (2006), the East African Customs Union Protocol, provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1992), and national laws in Kenya and Tanzania.
‘Almost all these laws give clear guidance on how Uganda can access the sea and the ports where our goods are received, stored or dispatched. But some of these provisions have been violated by our partner states, and the violations have negatively affected the smooth transit of Ugandan goods,’ he said.
Mr Ruyondo cited port delays, arbitrary restrictions, increased charges, and congestion at Mombasa and Dar es Salaam as routine hardships for Ugandan importers and exporters.
He said the Chamber is asking the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) to compel Kenya and Tanzania to allocate Uganda a portion of coastal land for developing its own port facilities.
‘Our prayer is simple: Uganda should be allocated land along the Indian Ocean. This can be done through the legal provisions already in place so the business community is relieved from the repeated transit challenges we face,’ he said.
President Museveni’s stance renews urgency
UCC President Kalim Kalamaji said the private sector’s renewed push follows President Museveni’s sharp remarks cautioning Ugandans about overdependence on neighbouring states for ocean access.
‘After the President’s remarks, the business community realised that this is a crucial issue that needs immediate action. We need clear guidance from President Museveni on how we can move forward,’ Mr Kalamaji said.
He expressed disappointment that Kenya’s President William Ruto did not address the matter conclusively during his recent visit to Uganda, despite high expectations from traders.
Mr Moses Opolot, UCC’s Acting Secretary General, said the debate is not new but the urgency has intensified.
‘Since independence, Uganda has struggled with restricted access to the ocean, making imports and exports more costly. Enough is enough. The region has mechanisms such as the East African Court of Justice to handle disputes,’ he said.
He stressed that both regional and international laws not only allow but obligate coastal countries to facilitate access for landlocked states.
Ruto dismisses tensions
During his recent visit, President William Ruto moved to calm rising speculation, dismissing reports of strained relations as ‘negative propaganda.’
‘I know people in the media space, and it’s good I speak here to clarify that Uganda has always had access to the sea,’ he said, emphasising the strong ties between the two nations.
President Ruto criticised individuals amplifying the debate, arguing that such narratives distract from East Africa’s wider development agenda.
His remarks followed President Museveni’s earlier statement in Mbale, where he reminded Ugandans that international law guarantees Uganda freedom of transit to the ocean as a landlocked nation.
The two leaders maintain that Uganda and Kenya remain committed partners despite the renewed public debate.