- The consignments are being held at the port of Mombasa, Container Freight Stations (CFS) and border stations.
- KRA added that a total of 108 consignments, both motor vehicles and cargo, held at various CFSs are subject to court processes in the country.
Image: CHARLES MGHENYI
A total of 818 consignments are being held at various customs stations as condemned goods for destruction, a report by Kenya Revenue Authority to a House committee shows.
The report to National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives said the consignments include motor vehicles, containerised cargo and loose cargo loads at the port of Mombasa, Container Freight Stations (CFS) and border stations.
“The consignments are being held pending their destruction process as guided by a multi-agency team consisting of government agencies operating at the port of Mombasa, CFSs and One Stop Border Posts,” the report said.
The Clerk of the National Assembly invited KRA in a letter dated October 23 to appear before the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives and make submissions on various issues.
KRA was required to provide a list of condemned goods that are yet to be destroyed, a report of counterfeit goods held at the port, a catalogue of impounded commodities held due to any other issue and sugar which is presently being held in Mombasa among other issues.
The report said a further 29 consignments are held at the port of Mombasa and CFSs as counterfeit goods.
It said the Anti-Counterfeit Authority has approved their destruction and KRA is awaiting guidance from the multi-agency team on the appropriate mode of doing away with them.
The report added that a total of 108 consignments, both motor vehicles and cargo, held by KRA at various CFSs are subject to court processes in the country.
“KRA is holding 80 motor vehicles of various models, two motorcycles and assorted consignments in 29 containers at the port of Mombasa impounded by government agencies for various malpractices,” the report stated.
It said investigations into the impounded consignments are ongoing for the next cause of action.
KRA said it is currently holding 48 containers of brown sugar at the port of Mombasa and CFSs.
“The sugar is unfit for human consumption and therefore condemned by Kenya Bureau of Standards for destruction,” the report noted.
KRA said it is available to provide the committee with any additional information that members may request.
The authority added that it is committed to complying with all laws in place as it executes its mandate of tax administration and trade facilitation.