Freight forwarders in Tanzania have hailed the convenience of cargo clearance since the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) introduced the Tanzania Customs Information System (TANCIS).
Speaking during this year’s International Customs Day in Dar es Salaam, Mr. Edward Urio, Vice President of the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA) and President of the Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association commended TRA for their commitment to leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and transparency in revenue collection.
“We believe that the system will increase transparency and efficiency, providing a solution to logistical challenges at ports, borders, and airports,” said Urio. However, he urged TRA to address technical issues highlighted by freight forwarders and other stakeholders to ensure the system’s effectiveness.
On his part, Commissioner General Mr. Yusuph Juma Mwenda reaffirmed the Customs Department’s determination to combat the illegal importation of goods by strengthening controls at ports, airports, and borders.
“Authorities will take strict legal measures to stop acts that weaken the country’s economy, including the seizure of illegal imports,” he said.
The Commissioner General further noted that Tanzania is celebrating International Customs Day with an upgraded Tanzania Customs Integrated System (TANCIS) system, which is expected to enhance efficiency at ports, airports, and border points. He added that 36 government institutions are now connected to the system, fostering better cooperation among government agencies.
TANCIS is anticipated to significantly reduce cargo handling time and related costs at ports, enabling faster business transactions and contributing to economic growth.
Additionally, the Commissioner of Customs TRA, Mr. Juma Bakari, emphasized that TANCIS was more stable than previous systems and expressed optimism that it would boost the country’s import and export volumes.
Other customs systems in the East African region include the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA), used in Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda, and the Integrated Customs Management System (ICMS) in Kenya.
The FEAFFA President, Mr. Charles Mwebembezi, represented the Federation at a similar celebration organized by the EAC Secretariat at their headquarters in Arusha. The event was graced by the EAC Secretary General, Her Excellency Veronica M. Nduva.
During the event, Mr. Mwebembezi expressed optimism that the centralized Single Customs Territory (SCT) system would further reduce clearance times, significantly lowering the cost of doing business within the East African Community (EAC).
As part of the celebrations, the EAC launched the Single Customs Territory Centralized Platform, a tool designed to facilitate the seamless exchange of customs and trade data in real time among interconnected Partner States’ Customs Port Authorities.
FEAFFA was recognized as a key partner of the EAC Directorate of Customs, alongside the East Africa Revenue Authorities and development partners, including TradeMark Africa (TMA) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
In Kenya, similar celebrations were held by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) on Friday, 24th January 2025.
The article was published by Andrew Onionga and can be reached at oniongaam@gmail.com Tel: +254733780240
