KenTrade has set November 30th this year as the date of full roll-out of the Sea Cargo Release module as full integration with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) takes a final lap. Piloting with the Sea module has been ongoing since last year. The air cargo function went live in various airports across the country including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on March 10, 2019.
This module is integrated with KRA iCMS for seamless exchange of clearance data including scheduling of joint verification messages with Partner Government Agencies (PGAs). It has an inbuilt dash board to facilitate importers to monitor progress of clearance of their goods.
KenTrade Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amos Wangora, told a virtual meeting that discussed significant milestones that the agency has made in the recent months, that he was optimistic that the two agencies will put in place all the necessary measures for full rollout of integrating Customs Management System (iCMS) at the port of Mombasa.
“Integration between the Kenya TradeNet and KRAs iCMS is almost complete. The only remaining part is the integration with the exports module which we target to complete by the end of October 2020,” Mr. Wangora told the participants.
On September 10, 2020, the Cabinet Secretary National Treasury made it mandatory for importers under the East African Community Duty Remission Scheme to lodge their applications online through the Kenya TradeNet System. The module is integrated with KRA iCMS system, which will enable seamless information flow, eliminating manual processes thus reducing time taken to lodge and process documents.
This order took effect on October 1, 2020. The majority of those affected have been equipped with online duty remission application skills, he said.
It is envisaged that full integration between the two systems will herald a new era of paperless cargo clearance and introduction of risk-based cargo interventions. It will enable concepts like Pre-arrival clearance to be a reality as defined under WTO TFA agreement.
Overall there will be a reduction in time taken to clear goods, cost of doing business in the country, increasing our World Bank ease of doing business ranking and making us competitive in the international arena.
