KRA impounds contraband cigarettes at Malaba border

By Macharia Kamau

Kenya Revenue Authority has impounded a consignment of counterfeit "Supermatch" cigarettes it suspects was to be dumped in the country.

KRA officials at the Malaba border point impounded the Ugandan registered lorry loaded with the counterfeit cigarettes yesterday.

The consignment was from Leaf Tobacco Company in Uganda and had been cleared by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) before entering Kenya as transit to Southern Sudan through Lokichoggio border point.

Mastermind Tobacco Kenya (MTK) manufactures Supermatch cigarettes. KRA officials said they were suspicious the cigarettes consignment was to be dumped in the local Market since the Lokichoggio border point is closed.

"Exports from Kenya to Southern Sudan are transited through Uganda and not vice versa. The consignment was meant for the Kenyan market under the guise it was being exported to Southern Sudan," the official said.

"The matter is beyond our control. It is in now being handled by the KRA Commissioner General, Michael Waweru", an officer who did not want to be mentioned because he is not authorised to speak to the press said at the border town yesterday.

Signs of recovery

Contacted, the head of corporate affairs at MTK, Josh Kirimania said the high rate of counterfeit cigarettes in the market was affecting the company sales. He said was working with the police to deal with the vice at the border point, adding that the company was spending Sh6 million a month on the same.

He called on the governance agency to work closely with the company to stamp out the menace.

Analysts said it was a requirement that any transit goods through Kenya be ferried in vehicles installed with electronic cargo tracking system.

The particular truck has no cargo tracking system.