Kephis defies order to stop cargo inspection levy

Kephis Board Chairman Joseph M'Eruaki, and Managing Director Theophilus Mutui during a media briefing in Mombasa, on September 11, 2025. [Robert Menza, Standard]

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) will not stop levying container and ship inspection fees at the Mombasa port despite a recent order by the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), which it blames on cargo pile-up at the facility.

Kephis says the order interferes with its constitutional mandate to protect agriculture and trade.

Speaking at the Kenya School of Government in Mombasa, Kephis Chairman Joseph M'Eruaki urged KMA to embrace dialogue instead of confrontation in resolving the standoff.

Each vessel is charged a Sh2,000 flat inspection fee on top of Sh375 per container and Sh2,000 for cleaning.

"No government agency is superior to the other. That is why we are engaging other stakeholders. Let other agencies stick to their lane. Let them cooperate because that is what is going to protect agriculture," M'Eruaki argued.

Recently, KMA Director-General Omae Nyarandi directed that no export container should be held back by Kephis because of non-payment of inspection fees. In a letter to Kephis Managing Director Prof Theophilus Mutui dated August 12 this year, Nyarandi also directed the agency to furnish the authority with documentary evidence of adequate public participation before imposing the container vessel inspection fee.

He said the pending arrears settlement will be discussed in an upcoming meeting. Kephis introduced the controversial charges on March 1 this year, for inspection of ships and containers at Mombasa port and border points to prevent the spread of pests and diseases from foreign countries. But Nyarandi said exporters are critical for the Kenyan economy and no agency should interfere with their flow through the port.

"Exports are critical to the Kenyan economy, and government agencies are obliged to intervene and provide the way forward on any operational undertaking that is likely to hamper the seamless flow of the exports in the logistics chain," said the head of the maritime industry regulator. He, at the same time, directed shipping lines not to introduce any inspection charge, as it is already paid for as a container cleaning charge.