This archive report was first published on 31 August 2021.
At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), a backlog of restricted items has been building up in customs warehouses, with importers struggling to clear them on time.
According to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the issue stems from the fact that many Kenyans import items such as shisha pipes and sex toys without being aware of the stringent permit conditions required for their entry into the market.
“Most passengers are unknowledgeable or un-informed on prohibitions of goods such as shisha and sex toys and restrictions imposed on goods such as drones and firearms,” said Lilian Nyawanda, Commissioner for Customs and Border Control at KRA, in an email response to Business Daily.
As a result, the KRA has issued a notice to importers to clear the restricted items by September 30, warning that items not collected by the deadline will be auctioned or destroyed.
Ms. Nyawanda noted that the warehouse has limited capacity due to the slow rate at which permits are issued for restricted items and the frequency of destructions for prohibited imports.
The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Regulations require importers to pay a fee of $30 (Sh3,294) for bringing in drones, which are increasingly popular for filming and mapping on agricultural farms, among other uses.
However, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has revealed that the majority of importers whose drones are lying at the JKIA have failed to register them, with the necessary Remote Operators Certificate and airworthiness certificate required for drone operation.
According to KCAA director-general Gilbert Kibe, the registration process involves a fee of about Sh80,000 for the Remote Operators Certificate, with an annual renewal fee of about Sh50,000, as well as additional fees for "Beyond Visual line of sight" and "Radiotelephone exam".
Published on Wednesday, September 01, 2021 by Constant Munda.
