Th head of state, Uhuru Kenyatta has been forced to get to the bottom of things at the Inland Container Depot(ICD) in Embakasi where seized containers are being stored. He made an impromptu visit to the site on Monday morning.
The visit comes amid cries from the businessmen over the long wait for clearance of their goods despite the SGR’s freight services that have revamped it from its initial deathbed.
The Kenya Revenue Authority has been blamed for delays in clearing cargo at the port of Mombasa and the Inland port of Nairobi.
Data from Kenya Ports Authority shows the depot was receiving only four trains per week.
Since the SGR freight services began, the facility is now getting 49 trains in a week.
There are claims the situation has been compounded by KRA employees who are said to be on a go- slow to protest what they perceive as harassment of their colleagues.
The delays have been largely attributed to staff changes at KRA following interdiction of 25 officials who were linked to illegal cargo clearance and irregular issuance of tax compliance certificates.
According to transport players, the internal staff changes are negatively affecting movement at the cargo at the port and ICD.
Uhuru was accompanied by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, PS Karanja Kibicho and heads of the multi-agency task force.
President Kenyatta made an impromptu visit to the Embakasi ICD where seized containers are being stored. The visit was prompted by complaints by traders whose goods have been confiscated. He was accompanied by CS Matiang’i, PS Kibicho and heads of the multi-agency task force. pic.twitter.com/JmUMhMQCAO
— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) May 27, 2019