New team to ensure efficiency at Mombasa port

An inter-ministerial team will be deployed to Mombasa port to improve efficiency, acting Finance CS Ukur Yatani said on Friday.

Yatani said members of the team will be from the National Treasury, Interior, Transport and Trade ministries.

“This team will be looking at all aspects of trade facilitation and how to improve efficiency. It will deal with issues of work permits, security and all the inter-agencies working at the port,” he said during a tour of the port and the Coast Kenya Revenue Authority headquarters.

The CS said Kenya Bureau of Standards, KRA, Anti-Counterfeit Agency, Port Health and other state agencies must work in a structured manner.

“Although the agencies are currently working, they can do better in terms of structured kind of uniform situation. This will make Kenya Ports Authority efficient in processes of cargo clearance and revenue generation,” Yatani, who is also the Labour CS said.

He reiterated that the Standard Gauge Railway will continue ferrying cargo to Nairobi, dismissing claims that doing so will kill road transport.

“Using SGR services does not necessarily mean that those engaged in road transport will be out business. There is Lamu Port, which is coming up. You can capitalise on that,” Yatani said.

On the run-away corruption at the port, the CS said, “It is just a matter of time and the law will catch up with all corrupt individuals.”

He was accompanied by KRA Commissioner General James Mburu.

He said targets will be set for KRA staff.

“I have emphasised the need for patriotism, honesty, transparency in the process handling business at KRA offices. We are not only competing in the region but want to be a premier revenue collection facility in the world,” he said.

Mburu said even as KRA staff pursue their targets, the government is going to deal decisively with tax evaders and KRA staff abetting evasion syndicates.
Source: The Star