The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced that it has increased border surveillance in order to stem the high amount of smugglers bringing goods in from neighbouring countries such as Tanzania and Uganda.
The general belief is that the move will help to reduce the potentially large revenue lost to local manufacturers and traders to illicit trade, which the Anti-Counterfeits Authority (ACA) estimates to be more than Sh153 annually.
The measures follow other recent steps to improve the strength of the Kenyan border, such as the discontinuation of the Kenya visa on arrival. It is now obligatory for all non-visa-waiver foreign citizens to pre-register for an online visa before they may enter the country.
Africa Daily News, New York recalls that in late 2021, the KRA received an estimated Sh40 million worth of surveillance equipment to enhance security at key border points, as part of customs capacity-building initiatives in Kenya.
The aid was procured from the government of Japan by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) also partnered on the project.
The equipment received included an X-ray baggage scanner, as well as a patrol boat and other patrol vehicles, in addition to Raman spectrometers and field test kits. The scanner will be a key aid in detecting contraband goods at border checkpoints.
In addition to the heightened surveillance system and increased scanning of goods at border checkpoints, the KRA has worked closely with local police to ensure enhanced patrols on the frontiers most affected by smuggling operations.
Bernard Kibitit, the KRA’s chief manager at Nairobi Customs Stations, recently spoke on the measures during a media forum to address the seizure of prohibited and restricted goods at the ports of entry.
“Government agencies, in a multi-agency approach, have heightened surveillance and I can tell you smuggling activities have reduced”, Kibiti claimed.
Goods smuggling is especially prevalent in towns such as Malaba and Busia on the Kenya-Uganda border, Isebania, a crossing with Tanzania, and Moyale on the border with Ethiopia.
Some of the most commonly smuggled goods include beverages such as water, juice, and soda, as well as sweets, sugar, and milk products. Smuggling of tobacco and alcohol products is also especially prevalent.
The rise of goods smuggling in the country has largely been blamed on the high rate of taxation in Kenya, resulting in local produce becoming far more expensive than in neighbouring countries.
The decision to tighten controls against smuggling operations follows other recent attempts to correct the unpredictable business environment in the country and combat the high cost of living, including a 12 percent increase in the minimum wage.
