This archive report was first published on 24 September 2021.
Kenya Railways' Boma Line transit shed, launched in February 2020 by President Uhuru Kenyatta, has been a significant boost to economic growth in the country.
According to Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga, the facility handles approximately six containers per day, with no trader having lost cargo in transit since its establishment.
The Boma Line is a National Deconsolidation Centre that de-consolidates cargo from small-scale traders, significantly reducing the cost of doing business and turnaround time for cargo to hit shelves.
Mainga noted that the facility is part of the railway's efforts to spur economic growth by engaging with all stakeholders to ensure that small-scale traders have an easy time while clearing their goods.
He added that the railway is upgrading the existing rail infrastructure countrywide to meet the demands of customers.
It takes about 18 hours for goods to be transported from the port of Mombasa to the Kenya Railways shed, where the goods are immediately cleared and released to their owners.
National Assembly Finance, and planning committee chair Gladys Wanga praised the facility, saying it was a game-changer in support of SMEs in the country.
Wanga noted that the facility provides an environment where traders can do business in the easiest way possible, with reduced times and costs.
Kenya Revenue Authority Deputy Commissioner of Customs, Joseph Kaguru, assured traders of swift clearance and said that the agency was on the lookout for any unscrupulous individuals and counterfeit goods.
The Boma facility serves small traders operating within Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), Nyamakima, Gikomba, and Kamukunji markets and has a capacity of clearing 30 containers per day.
