Truck owners in last-minute rush to fix tracking gadgets

By Patrick Beja

Plans are in top gear to fit an electronic cargo tracking system (ECTS) in trucks moving goods from the port of Mombasa.

Truck owners are in final stages to comply with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) June 30 deadline to fix the tracking gadgets on their vehicles.

The regulation targets more than 20,000 trucks carrying transit goods.

Industry sources say the move would curb loss of revenue by ensuring there is no diversion of transit goods into the local market.

KRA has enforced similar regulations to the mushrooming private container freight stations in the country.

Last week, KRA commissioner of Customs Wambui Namu met a delegation from the Kenya Transport Association (KTA) to discuss the tracking project in Nairobi.

The KTA team comprised chief executive officer Eunice Mwanyalo and board members Abdulgan Pasta and Timothy Nguo.

"The intention of having all parties involved was to clarify any grey areas arising from prior sensitisation," explains Mwanyalo.

The KTA members have been seeking to have minimal costs in the project.

Minimal costs

According to sources, truckers want to share the cost of installing the truck and cargo tracking gadgets with cargo owners (shippers), while KRA foots the cost of communication.

The transporters have also been pushing for more suppliers of the tracking devices to increase competition and bring down costs.

"We are not opposed to the tracking project but we do not want monopoly since this will lead to high costs. We are happy there are now two suppliers and a third one is coming to the market," said a transporter.

Initially, the cost of a single tracking gadget was Sh91,000, but transporters believe they could get it for as little as Sh20,000 with competition. However, the suppliers have to adhere to KRA standards before being allowed to install the device to truckers.