Corruption and Vulnerability in Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade

This project examined how corruption and public health restrictions shaped the risks faced by small-scale traders – especially women – along East Africa’s border crossings.

Small-scale trade between Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania played a vital role in supporting livelihoods, especially for women, and contributed to broader goals of poverty reduction and food security. However, traders frequently faced arbitrary payments, harassment, and confiscation of goods – undermining the benefits of cross-border trade and increasing personal and financial risk.

This project investigated the impact of corruption on these trading dynamics, with a particular focus on how gender shaped vulnerability. It also examined how COVID-19 and related public health measures, including border closures, affected cross-border trade patterns and opportunities for extortion. Drawing on phone-based surveys conducted at the Busia (Kenya-Uganda) and Taveta (Kenya-Tanzania) border points, the research highlighted how the pandemic changed corruption risks and exposed systemic weaknesses in border governance.

Key Findings

• Formal border procedures were costly and burdensome for small-scale traders.
  While official paperwork was relatively straightforward, obtaining the necessary documentation often required paying bribes to government officials. Traders – especially women – faced long queues at understaffed formal crossings, increasing the risk of goods spoilage and missed trading opportunities.
• Informal routes were risky but more accessible.
  Many women traders opted for informal border crossings despite the risks, as they allowed faster movement without bureaucratic hurdles. These routes, however, exposed traders to harassment, extortion, and in some cases, sexual violence – reflecting the trade-offs women navigated between speed and safety.
• Corruption disproportionately affected women.
  Women traders, who often lacked access to information about procedures and rights, were more frequently targeted by border officials. They were subjected to threats, arbitrary penalties, and bribe demands – both financial and sexual. Given that 81% of surveyed women relied on cross-border trade as their main source of income, their vulnerability was routinely exploited.
• Existing trade facilitation efforts failed to address gender-specific needs.
  National and local interventions aimed at streamlining trade processes did not account for the realities faced by women. Basic infrastructure – such as toilets, changing rooms, and child-care facilities – was absent, and reporting mechanisms were inaccessible or unsafe for those fearing retaliation.
• Policy incoherence and weak implementation limited reform.Inconsistent terminology and poor coordination between regional, national, and local authorities created confusion in enforcement – such as misclassification of goods or conflicting regulations. Without political will to implement anti-corruption measures and gender-sensitive policy reforms, small-scale traders – especially women – remained exposed to routine exploitation.

Impact and Implications

This project aimed to inform border policy and programming by drawing attention to the specific challenges faced by small-scale traders – particularly women – in navigating corruption, harassment, and weak infrastructure at border crossings. While much of the existing reform agenda focused on larger, formalised trade actors, this research amplified the voices of smaller traders who often operated on the margins of policy conversations.

 By highlighting the gendered dynamics of cross-border trade and the heightened risks during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the project provided evidence to support more inclusive, context-specific policy interventions that better reflect the lived realities of these traders.

Evidence of Impact:
The research team engaged with Dr. Alfred Sebahene, Head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies and Acting Head of the Unit for the Study of Corruption at St. John’s University of Tanzania. Dr. Sebahene had conducted related research on corruption and cross-border trade for the East African Community (EAC), and the project team shared insights and findings to inform his ongoing policy dialogue with the EAC. Project materials were made available to support both his teaching and his continued engagement with regional stakeholders on anti-corruption issues.

The team also prepared for final dissemination and feedback discussions with Trademark East Africa and the Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Support Initiative (EASSI), aiming to promote research uptake and ensure the findings informed future programming. A final round of interviews with policy actors was planned to gather input, which would be incorporated into a revised policy brief.

In parallel, the team continued collaboration with Sauti East Africa, with the goal of integrating research findings into the platform’s tools for reporting corruption and addressing challenges at border crossings—helping to drive longer-term improvements for small-scale traders.

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