KRA boss denies claims of harassment at airport

Kenya Revenue Authority Chairman Anthony Mwaura addresses the Press at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, on November 10, 2024. [Standard Kanyiri Wahito]

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has responded to allegations of harassment and extortion by customs officials at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi, with Chairman Anthony Mwaura acknowledging complaints from Kenyans and visitors but describing the incidents as isolated.

“Although I do not want to be defensive, we need to do a little bit better. We need to handle our people better,” said Mwaura.

Speaking on Sunday at JKIA, he stressed the need for improved customer service by KRA officials.

Mwaura’s visit to JKIA follows a recent incident in which a visitor voiced her frustrations on social media, alleging mistreatment by customs officers. The latest controversy erupted after Egyptian national Dina Sherif posted on social media about her experience upon arriving in Nairobi. Sherif claimed she was harassed by KRA customs officers, who demanded exorbitant fees for her personal belongings.

“I had 15 books, 20 T-shirts, and some MIT caps. Initially, I was asked to pay USD 1,200 (Sh154,722), which was then reduced to 950, and finally to USD 800 (Sh103,772), with no clear explanation of how these figures were determined,” Sherif wrote.

She alleged that although none of her items had price tags, customs officers assigned arbitrary values to them. “They treated my colleague and me with disrespect, calling us idiots and yelling at us. They even confiscated my colleague’s passport and refused to return it until we agreed to pay the demanded sum,” she stated.

According to Sherif, after reluctantly agreeing to pay, it took over an hour to generate a receipt. Her attempts to pay by credit card were unsuccessful due to a malfunctioning system, leading to a five-hour ordeal following a 22-hour journey.

“Shame on you, Kenya. I expected better,” Sherif wrote.