Kenya's President Orders Reduction in Import Inspections
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered government agencies to stop additional inspections of imported goods after he said businesses have complained of too many inspections, according to a June 1 report from Capital FM Kenya. Kenyatta told officials at the Kenya Bureau of Standards, Kenya Revenue Authority and the Kenya Ports Authority to reduce inspections on pre-inspected imports unless the goods are “legitimately suspected to be entering the country illegally,” the report said. “I ask them to honor prior inspection done by their appointed agents,” Kenyatta said, according to the report. “Imported goods therefore, should not be subjected to additional inspection at the port of entry except for cases legitimately suspected not to conform to the set standards.”
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The announcement came a few days after all cargo at the Inland Container Depot in Nairobi was ordered released, the report said. Traders had complained their goods has “been withheld at the facility for months.” While Kenyatta said the shipments were being held because of delays at the depot, he also said part of the problem was caused by “brokers handling consolidated cargo who have been trying to evade taxes.”