East African Business Council (EABC) has urged the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to offer pre-clearance of exports to reduce delays.
Speaking at the EABC Trade Facilitation Forum at Horohoro-Lunga Lunga OSBP, Mr. John Bosco Kalisa said Kenya doing destination clearance of goods at Horohoro OSBP leads to delays and longer queues of cargo trucks to Kenya.
Mr. Kalisa, urged that Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials should be posted to the key cities in Tanzania to facilitate the pre-arrival clearance of exports from Tanzania to Kenya to reduce traffic queues at the border. Tanzania has already posted Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) officials in Mombasa and Nairobi to facilitate the pre-arrival clearance of goods under the Single Customs Territory framework.
Kenya’s exports to Tanzania for the first quarter January-March 2022 stood at USD 139.42 million while imports at USD 118.6 million.
The Manager of Horohoro OSBP Tanzania said, “the pilot running of one-stop border operations at the Horohoro-Lunga Lunga One-Stop Border Post has eased the free movement of goods and persons between Kenya and Tanzania.” The Manager expounded that the number of trucks entering Kenya from Tanzania has increased to 150 per day while 80 cross over into Tanzania daily. Tanzania’s trade volume increase is attributed to coal and maize exports.
Mr. Sadik Ndoro, Chairman of Clearing and Forwarding Associations appealed for the removal of the Single Tax System levy charged on Kenyan trucks entering Tanzania. He commended the Governments of Kenya and Tanzania for waiving off COVID-19 mandatory testing for fully vaccinated passengers.
The chairperson of women cross-border traders in Kenya Ms. Zipporah urged the county governments to waive off cess levies to ease the free movement of cargo across EAC borders. She further appealed to the border management to institute a trade help desk for women cross-border traders and construct cross border market “Jumuiya Market” with amenities such as crèche & stores.
In 2021 Kenya’s exports to Tanzania hit USD 409.7 million in 2021 from USD 294.9 million in 2020 while Kenya’s imports from Tanzania stood at USD. 489.8 million in 2021 and USD 258.3 million in 2020.
The trade facilitation forum was supported by GIZ Support to East African Market-Driven and People-Centered Integration programme (SEAMPEC).
The EABC Trade Facilitation Forum was attended by over 50 delegates composed of Officials from the Ministry of EAC Affairs, trade facilitation agencies, importers, exporters, transporters & freight forwarders and women cross-border traders.