Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has commenced clearing transit cargo from the Port of Mombasa to the Naivasha Inland Container depot (NICD). KRA says the move will decongest the Mombasa port and improve efficiency.
KRA will provide a list of cargo moved from Mombasa on their website and urges the owners of the affected cargo and clearing agents to clear and pick their goods at NICD.
In addition, KRA office and customs at NICD are operational with the marshaling area having the capacity to hold 700 trucks. The new directive will boost storage for cargo destined for Uganda, South Sudan, Northern Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
KRA is betting on the One Stop Centre (OSC) housing all key government agencies to handle the huge capacity expected at NICD. In addition, the One stop centre houses regional revenue authorities including Uganda Revenue Authority, Rwanda Revenue Authority, Tanzania Revenue Authority, and Burundi Revenue Authority.
KRA directive follows a virtual meeting by East African Community (EAC) heads of state on 12th May, 2020 between President Paul Kagame(Rwanda), Yoweri Museveni( Uganda) and Salvar Maryardit Kiir of South Sudan and Uhuru Kenyatta of Republic of Kenya.
Heads of state agreed that all transit cargo containers transported on SGR will be armed only at the ICD in Naivasha to be tracked through the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System.
The virtual meeting resolved that effective 1st June, 2020, all transit cargo destined for Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan will be transported either on the Standard Gauge Railway(SGR) for clearance at the Inland Container Depot in Naivasha or metre gauge to Tororo/Kampala.
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