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By Tobby Otum
Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA) Mombasa branch chairman Roy Mwathi said goods and cargo destined for South Sudan are stuck at the port of Mombasa.
He said there is an evolving and prevailing crisis of thousands of containers and motor vehicles stuck at the port of Mombasa and several Container Freight Stations (CFSs) whose final destination is South Sudan.
“The Cargo and goods are stuck following South Sudan government’s directive issued by their country’s Revenue Authority,” he pointed out.
Roy sought to put the record straight that South Sudan Revenue Authority [SSRA] has given a directive that duty and taxes for any consignment of goods and cargo destined for their country must be paid before being released from Mombasa.
He was addressing journalists at Mombasa Sports Club in Mombasa county.
The KIFWA Mombasa branch chairman told the media that his members [clearing agents] are faced with a threat after importers from South Sudan declined to abide by their government’s directive that duty and taxes for every container/units of either cargo or goods must be paid before being released from Mombasa.
Roy told the media they have no objection to the directive as it is between SSRA and its taxpayers but the importers have declined to follow the directive for two months now.
He said the importers are ready but insist the taxes for their goods must be paid at Nimule border of South Sudan.
“The taxes must be paid in South Sudanese pounds and not in US dollars as is the case currently,” he said.
The KIFWA Mombasa branch chairman said at the moment thousands of importers’ consignments are incurring storage charges at customs warehouses and demurrages payable prior to release of cargo from either the port or CFSs.
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