Money Markets
Rwanda President Paul Kagame launches the Kenya National Electronic
Single Window System (Kenya TradeNet) at Safari Park on May 2, 2014.
With him are Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta, Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and
Deputy President William Ruto. PHOTO | PSCU
By WACHIRA MWANGI and GITONGA MARETE
In Summary
- The switch to the Single Window system comes after a successful piloting by the Kenya Trade Network Agency.
- System is now able to process export and import permits issued by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services and the Department of Veterinary Services.
- When the system is fully operational, 25 government agencies involved in clearing cargo and issuing import and export documents will be operating through the platform.
Clearing and forwarding agents Wednesday started
filing documents through the Kenya National Electronic Single Window
System, which is expected to ease customs processes at the port.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has cleared 80 firms to
operate under the Authorised Economic Operators status that gives
special cargo clearing privileges. They will be the only ones to lodge
import declaration forms, permits and other documents on the system.
“The system will be fully rolled out to importers from December 1,” KRA said in a notice.
The switch to the Single Window system came after a successful piloting by the Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade).
The agency’s general manager in charge of
operations, Amos Wangora, said the system is now able to process export
and import permits issued by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), Kenya
Plant Health Inspectorate Services and the Department of Veterinary
Services.
Other permits include those issued by the
Horticultural Crops Development Authority, Pharmacy & Poisons Board
and Port Health.
The system is also integrated with that of the Kenya Ports Authority for processing vessel manifests.
“All the shipping agents have been trained and over
130 manifests have been successfully submitted and approved through the
Kenya TradeNet System. Over 3,000 import declaration forms have been
lodged and processed,” says a recent implementation status report seen
by the Business Daily.
When the system is fully operational, 25 government
agencies involved in clearing cargo and issuing import and export
documents will be operating through the platform.
“Individual agencies will have to stop using the
manual system and we are already in discussion with various chief
executive officers to fast track this process,” Mr Wangora said.
Kebs was the first agency to require that
inspection of all imports be done through the Single Window System
starting August this year.
Initially, importers seeking clearance from Kebs
were required to submit their documents manually, a process that was
time-consuming and inefficient
No comments :
Post a Comment