Importers protest halt in motor vehicle deliveries

Motor vehicle importers have lobbied for the reclassification of the units as essential goods in protest to a halt on delivery to owners.

In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Revenue and Regional Operations at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the importers, represented in the Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA), say the blockade on deliveries has resulted in high storage charges for the operators.

“Motor vehicles imported through the port of Mombasa for both local and regional countries are stuck at various container freight stations, but cannot be delivered to their owners,” the importers note in part.

The association is now lobbying for the classification of clearing and forwarding services as part of essential services in the country allowing for the delivery of the units.

Further, the association is seeking for a waiver on all accrued warehouse rents and port storage charges resulting from the order on cessation of movement.

According to the importers, the continued stay of the ban on movement will lead to the congestion of port facilities with imported motor vehicles.

The movement of imported motor vehicles in and out of the port City of Mombasa has been limited by orders on cessation of movement in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.