Importers from Uganda and Rwanda now threaten to ditch Mombasa port

Hired workers destroy sugar and Rice at the Kenya Ports Authority in Mombasa on Thursday 4th February 2016. The sugar worth Ksh.56 Million was imported from Brazil and was for discharge at various container freight stations while the rice was found being re-packed into new bags and ready for distribution into the Kenyan markets as Pakistani and falcon Rice. Photo/Kelvin Karani

Traders from Uganda and Rwanda who use Mombasa Port have threatened to shift to Dar es Salaam Port in Tanzania.

The traders accuse the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) of subjecting their goods to verification of cargo at the Container Freight Stations (CFS).

They said this verification should be done at the port instead of transferring the burden to the CFS, such as Portside Container Terminal where KRA has ordered a 100 per cent physical inspection of all cargo.

The traders say they do not understand why customs officials cannot inspect the goods inside the port using scanning machines. Yesterday, they said transferring inspection to CFS causes delays.