KPA faulted for bias in gauging efficiency

By Benard Sanga

Slow Customs clearance procedures continue to impede timely movement of goods destined for the local market, three months since President Uhuru Kenyatta offered direction towards enhancing efficiency at the port of Mombasa.

President Kenyatta and regional leaders will open Berth 19 at the port tomorrow as part of measures to increase efficiency.

Supply chain and logistics experts say that though time taken for transit goods to move from Mombasa to Malaba border post had reduced, there was insignificant improvement in time taken by local importers to clear their cargo from Mombasa.

Storage charges

The delays are now being blamed on some Container Freight Stations’ (CFS) tendency to deliberately delay the release of cargo so that they can generate revenue from storage charges.

Importers and trade experts say that the cost of import through Mombasa was still high, faulting Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) recent spirited campaign to use average dwell time as gauge of efficiency.

They say the barometer does not provide a complete picture of the port’s operation for domestic goods.

“KPA is very keen on using dwell time to indicate better performance but it fails to recognise the role of CFSs where those goods are moved to. In general, it is increasingly recognised that dwell time is not a good indicator as there are other variables which affect it,” said Andrew Roberts, World Bank Senior Operation Officer, Africa Regional Integration Department on Monday.

KPA Managing Director Gichiri Ndua recently announced a 13.2 per cent improvement of container off-take from the port of Mombasa pegging the trend to the implementation of the presidential directive.

Whilst KPA claims success in reducing dockside congestion, most of the goods are transferred from the port to CFS, which by law are an extension of the port itself.

Ndua said that the transit of cargo from Mombasa to Malaba had also reduced to four days from the previous eight to 13 while dwell time had also reduced to six days from seven.

Tomorrow President Kenyatta will lead regional heads of state to a visit at the port in a move seen to underscore the government’s commitment to enhance efficiency and take stock of the progress since he directed all government departments working inside the port to facilitate faster movement of goods from Mombasa.

In June, the head of state ordered the Commissioner of Customs to relocate to Mombasa and directed the clearing process at the port to be digitised in order to enhance efficiency.