By Vincent Bartoo

The Government has introduced stringent measures at the Eldoret International Airport meant to curb tax evasion and possible terrorism.

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) now requires businesses using the airport for the importation of cargo to give personal information detailing the owners of goods imported.

The police on the other hand have heightened screening of goods imported to ensure illicit items such as arms are not sneaked through the facility.

The move has, however, elicited sharp reactions from businessmen and North Rift political leaders claiming the new regulations will hurt business at the fledgling airport.

Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny and his Eldoret South counterpart Peris Simam claimed the KRA rules were cumbersome for importers and could ruin the airport’s reputation.

"A single importer would ordinarily bring in goods for different persons. How can he be asked to get personal details of all these people? posed Kutuny.

The MPs questioned the move by police to launch separate checks despite the normal screening of goods by airport personnel.

Kutuny said apart from the airport police, traffic police subjected the goods to "illegal" checks at roadblocks along highways leading to the airport.

Still struggling

"This is delaying business and soon, businessmen will shun this airport yet it is still struggling to grow," he said.

The MPs, who were representing the Rift Valley parliamentary group, were at the airport to receive grievances of the businessmen over the rules.

They also held a closed door meeting with the airport manager, Mr Peter Wafula, before addressing the businessmen at the cargo section of the airport.

The MPs hit out at the Government for delaying the expansion of the airport runaway, which would boost business at the facility.

"Some leading airlines have identified the airport as a viable trading hub but cargo planes cannot take off at the facility because of the short runway," said Kutuny.

"As much as we concur with the rules, we feel they are too stringent for an airport that is struggling to cut out a niche," said Kutuny.