Kenya’s logistics sector players have strongly opposed the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) plan to enforce the mandatory submission of a Certificate of Origin (CoO) for all imports into the country starting October 1, 2025. They warn that the measure will disrupt trade, increase costs, and undermine Kenya’s role as a regional logistics hub.
The requirement, introduced under the Finance Act 2025 through amendments to the Tax Procedures Act, was initially slated for enforcement on July 1 but was pushed to September 30 after pushback from industry players.
The Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA), representing customs agents and freight forwarders, voiced concern that the rule is not only impractical but also legally inconsistent.
“This provision creates unnecessary conflict with existing laws,” said KIFWA National Chairman Fredrick Aloo. “Under the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA) 2004, a Certificate of Origin is only required for preferential treatment under trade agreements. Making it mandatory for all imports and attaching penalties like forfeiture goes beyond EAC law and unfairly punishes importers” he added.
Mr. Aloo added that many Kenyan importers rely on consolidators in global hubs like Dubai and Singapore, where sourcing is from multiple countries.
“Expecting a certificate from every country of origin in such cases is unrealistic and unworkable. This rule risks clogging our ports with non-compliant cargo and delaying critical supplies,” he warned.
The Shippers Council of Eastern Africa (SCEA) also criticized the new rule, arguing it was introduced without proper consultation and would significantly raise the cost of doing business.
“This requirement was sneaked in without notice or stakeholder participation, contrary to the Fair Administrative Action Act. Its impact could be devastating, delaying raw materials, inflating import costs, and threatening revenue collection,” said SCEA CEO, Agayo Ogambi.
Mr. Ogambi stressed that KRA already has better tools to curb misdeclaration, such as risk profiling, Import Declaration Forms, the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVOC) programme, and enhanced automation systems. “Instead of creating new paperwork, the government should focus on enforcing these existing mechanisms,” he said.
Stakeholders further cautioned that the rule will disproportionately hurt SMEs, manufacturers, e-commerce traders, and relief agencies who rely on diversified sourcing.
The Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA) backed the industry’s call, noting the wider implications on regional trade.
“This proposal undermines the very spirit of trade facilitation,” said Elias Baluku, FEAFFA Executive Director. “By adding unnecessary documentation, it risks creating new non-tariff barriers, frustrating importers, exporters, and freight forwarders across the region. Instead of streamlining logistics, it will paralyse supply chains and reverse the progress Kenya has made in becoming a regional logistics hub.”
The logistics sector players are urging the government, through Parliament and the National Treasury, to review and rescind the CoO provision. They have called for at least a one-year extension to allow proper consultations with industry stakeholders, to remove the requirement from the law altogether.
This article was published by Githua Kihara, an editorial consultant for FEAFFA’s Freight Logistics Magazine. For any inquiries, please contact us via email at editorial@feaffa.com or freightlogistics@feaffa.com, or reach out to Andrew Onionga directly at onionga@feaffa.com or oningaam@gmail.com / +254733780240.
