Overview

Kabanga One stop Border Post (OSBP) is a Tanzania-Burundi border crossing located in Ngara District of the Kagera Region near the borders of Rwanda and Burundi, on Burundi side it is called Kobero OSBP located in the region of Muyinga. Kabanga/Kobero OSBP operates on a 12-hour shift pattern due to security concerns in the isolated mountainous terrain. There are several Government agencies all available daily with the aim of expediting and facilitating the clearance of goods across border quickly and smoothly. Currently the following Government agencies are available: TRA, Immigration, TBS, TMDA, WMA, TASAC, Livestock & fisheries Dept, Port Health, Forest Dept, TAEC and Ministry of Agriculture. Average clearance time of goods across border after the introduction of OSBP & Single Customs Territory (SCT) facilities ranges from 30 minutes to 3 hrs depending on nature of the consignment. 

The Ngara District is located in northwest Tanzania and is situated at an elevation of 1800m, Ngara has four seasons: two dry seasons from June to September and January to February with two rainy seasons from October to December and from March to May. During dry seasons there are sometimes strong winds/hazy air and temperature, The rain is sometimes associated with strong winds, floods, mud, and fog. Access routes have steep inclines and there are many accidents along the roads, evident by the number of heavy goods vehicles overturned on the steep verges of the roads. In places the road surface is paved but in poor condition and during the rainy season, heavy rainwater flows powerfully down the road surface reducing traction and causing added difficulty for heavy goods vehicles.

Daily Capacity

The level of traffic flow reported for 2022/23 FY was: 

• Numbers of Trucks – 120 Per Day  
• Numbers of Cars – 20 PER DAY 
• Passenger Buses – 3 per week 

The immigration and customs officials from both countries occupy the same offices and sit adjacent to each other this facilitating efficient traffic flow, easy movement of goods and persons between the two countries and minimize the number of required stops during cross-border trade. Kabanga OSBP was constructed in 2021 and has a large parking area for trucks with 6,500m2 on a hard surface.  

Customs Clearance

Under the Single Customs Territory, five Partner States: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda are regarded as one Customs Territory which means only one Customs declaration is made in the Country at which goods are consigned. This requires only one Customs declaration that will be made by the consignee country and applied across EAC. The declaration will be processed in Tanzania as a consignee and tax payment, or bond guarantee will be made accordingly. The TRA has developed a number of online tools to help businesses comply with customs requirements. These tools include;

• Tanzania Integrated Customs Management System (TANCIS): TANCIS is a web-based system that allows businesses to lodge customs declarations and pay customs duties and taxes online. 
• Tanzania Customs Information Portal (TCIP): The TCIP is a web-based portal that provides businesses with access to information on customs procedures, regulations, and tariffs. 

Government agencies operating at the Kabanga OSBP include.

• Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA),
• Tanzania Immigration services,
• Tanzania Standards Bureau (TBS),
• Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA),
• Weights and Measures Agency (WMA),
• Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC),
• Livestock & Fisheries Dept,
• Port Health,
• Forest Dept,
• Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC)
• Ministry of Agriculture.

Currently average clearance time of goods across border after the introduction of OSBP & Single Customs Territory (SCT) facilities ranges from 30 minutes to 3 hrs depending on nature of the consignment.

Other Relevant Information

The fees for trucks crossing the border vary depending on the origin of the journey, destination, and the number of axles. For small vehicles, the fees are mainly based on the longer of the journey in Tanzania.  

The usual documents are required for the custom clearance including invoice, packing list, permits, and a contract signed between the customer and the clearing agent, if any. The truck driver has to present his passport to the authority. Note that the goods could be subject to examination upon entering country. Under SCT the clearance is completed at the destination country, thus truck driver has to present C2 accompanied by SuBT1. (Good transfer) Form C2-Cargo Manifest 

For more information on customs in Tanzania, please see the following link: 1.3 Customs Information and 4.1 Government Contact List.