JKIA cargo clearance comes down to 12 hours

By David Odongo

It will now take half a day for cargo to be cleared at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Further, clearance at the Port of Mombasa will also be reduced from the current 10 days to three days before December.

This follows the implementation of National Electronic Single Window system, which will make it easier for clearance of goods at the airport and the ports.

Previously, it could take more than three days to clear cargo at JKIA and over a month at the port.

At the Namanga and Busia border, the system is expected to reduce the cargo waiting time for both transit and intra-regional trade consignments to one hour.

Kenya Trade Network Agency managing director Alex Kabuga said preparation for implementation of the core projects ahead of construction of Single Window platform are complete.

“Everything is already in place, and I assure Kenyans that the first phase of the National Electronic Single Window system has gone live and the second phase in December 2013,” he said.

The system is expected to eliminate the cumbersome manual documentation blamed for wastage of billions of shillings to corrupt intermediaries, delays and lost opportunities due to poor ratings by international traders.

The system will be accessible nationwide for easy flow of goods in and out of the country’s borders on a 24/7 basis.

“Once the Electronic Single Window platform for submission, receipt and processing of trade-related cargo clearance documentation is implemented, it will be the sole entry point for lodgment of trade transaction documentation,” said Kabuga.

Trade procedures in Kenya are inefficient and slow, which has negatively affected the economy due to high cost of trade transactions.

Kenya Shippers Council CEO Gilbert Langat said the system will save Sh14 billion that is lost annually due to the long and tedious clearance processes.

He said the Single Window is one among automation efforts that shippers have been pushing for to reduce delays in cargo clearance.

“Others include the Electronic Cargo Tracking System which provides real-time monitoring of goods under customs control and the Kilindini Waterfront Operating System which automate container operations at the sea port and inland container depots in Nairobi and Kisumu, to reduce cargo waiting time and storage costs incurred by importers and exporters,” he said. 

 He believes the system will end corruption and the uncoordinated trade processes.