KNRA general director James Keter addresses importers and traders in Nairobi on Thursday /HANDOUT
The Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) has stressed its commitment to ensuring all containerized cargo is seamlessly screened, while bulk cargo is sampled and radiologically analysed.
Director General James Keter said the regulator is expanding its capacity to prevent premature cargo release, while working closely with stakeholders, including the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and clearing agents.
Keter was addressing stakeholders in the cargo and trade sector during a sensitisation forum convened by the Shippers Council of Eastern Africa (SCEA) in Nairobi on Thursday.
The forum brought together importers, exporters, clearing agents and representatives of government agencies to discuss emerging regulatory requirements.
SCEA chief executive Agayo Ogambi called on the more than 40 government agencies involved in cargo handling and clearance to harmonise their requirements to minimise duplication and delays.
Ogambi said improving efficiency would require adequate capacity at major entry points, particularly the Port of Mombasa and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“We need adequate capacity at JKIA and at the ports,” he said, urging agencies to examine what could be done differently to make cargo clearance more efficient.
The forum comes as Kenya seeks to strengthen its cargo management systems while ensuring that regulatory requirements do not undermine the competitiveness of its ports and logistics sector.
Keter said the authority was preparing to undertake public participation on 13 regulations intended to strengthen Kenya’s regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety.
“We will soon be doing public participation on 13 regulations that will help us safeguard our country from risks associated with nuclear and radiation,” he said.
KRA Deputy Commissioner for Trade Facilitation, Customs and Border Control explained to participants the legal basis and objectives of advanced cargo declarations, which are intended to improve risk management and facilitate faster processing of legitimate trade.
Traders and importers, however, raised concerns about multiple screening processes by different agencies, saying they could result in duplication and unnecessary delays.
They called for the establishment of a coordinated or single screening system through which agencies could share information and avoid conducting similar checks independently.
The stakeholders said greater coordination among regulatory agencies would help strike a balance between security, compliance and trade facilitation.
