Cross-Border Security in Kenya

This research article examines strategies to strengthen cross-border security at the Busia border, a key trade hub between Kenya and Uganda in the East African Community (EAC). In utilising qualitative methods—semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and observations at the One Stop Border Post (OSBP), the article identifies the challenges that includes: corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and smuggling. Stakeholders, including traders and security personnel, emphasized bribery, poor roads, and policy discrepancies as barriers. Proposed strategies include infrastructure upgrades, advanced surveillance technologies, policy harmonization, and stakeholder collaboration. Participant observations revealed slow customs processes and technical disruptions, underscoring the need for automation. Addressing poverty to reduce smuggling incentives and adopting models like the Schengen Information System are recommended. The article offers policymakers actionable insights to enhance security and foster EAC trade