KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has warned that East Africa could face future conflicts if landlocked nations such as his are denied access to the Indian Ocean, reigniting regional debate on trade corridors and maritime sovereignty.
Speaking during an interview published on Tuesday, Museveni described any attempt to restrict sea access as “madness,” adding that such a move would pose a serious threat to regional peace and integration.
He said that for Uganda and other landlocked countries, the right to trade through coastal neighbours was not a privilege but an economic necessity.
“Blocking landlocked countries from access to the sea is madness. This is a matter that can even cause future wars,” Museveni said, warning that restrictions on maritime trade could destabilise the East African Community (EAC) if not addressed through mutual cooperation.
Uganda relies heavily on Kenya’s Port of Mombasa and Tanzania’s Port of Dar es Salaam for the bulk of its imports and exports. Both routes are key arteries for regional trade.
Still, Museveni’s latest remarks appear to reflect growing frustration over logistical inefficiencies, high transit costs, and bureaucratic delays along the Northern and Central Corridors.
Uganda has, in recent years, expanded its partnerships with Tanzania through the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and with the Democratic Republic of Congo in joint infrastructure projects.
Political observers, however, view the President’s warning as a strategic message to both the EAC and the African Union, urging greater attention to equitable regional integration under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The EAC Treaty guarantees freedom of movement for goods, services, and people among member states. Yet, as Museveni’s comments suggest, implementation has often lagged behind ambition, with trade disputes, transit delays, and port charges occasionally testing regional solidarity.
Museveni’s warning comes as East African states continue to invest heavily in infrastructure, from Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway to Tanzania’s Bagamoyo Port project. For Uganda, securing stable maritime access remains critical to its ambitions to industrialise and attract foreign investment.
The President’s statement underscores the need for stronger diplomatic coordination within the EAC to prevent economic rivalries from escalating into political tension. As regional economies deepen their interdependence, ensuring smooth trade access — by road, rail, or sea — will be vital to sustaining East Africa’s collective growth and stability.
