KRA extends customs agents licensing to April

Customs agents will have until the end of April to comply with licensing requirements, after the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) extended the licensing period.

This after a section of customs agents threatened to go on strike over what they termed as harassment from the taxman.

KRA is using the licensing requirement to vet the clearing and forwarding officials it uses to collect taxes on its behalf.

“Arising from several inquiries regarding renewal of the customs agents licenses for the year 2017, the customs and border control department wishes to clarify that customs agents licenses issued for the year 2016 are still valid. The extension of the validity period of the licenses has been granted by the commissioner of customs up to the end of April to facilitate smooth renewal process,” KRA Customs Commissioner Julius Musyoki said.

According to KRA, this has been necessitated by the fact that a number of customs agents have been colluding with dodgy businessmen to bypass the system, denying the agency much needed revenue.

Customs agents allied to the Kenya International Warehousing Association (KIFWA), however read malice in the exercise, claiming its being used to lock out hundreds of them from the lucrative business.

However the move by KRA appears to have split KIFWA members down the middle, with the taxman claiming of 90 percent of customs agents had complied.

In a notice in the dailies, KRA says all agents with a valid 2016 license will be allowed to do business with the customs department up until the end of April.

“No person holding 2016 license has been or will be prevented from doing business with Customs,” Mr Musyoki said.

KRA has raised concern over shoddy dealings at major border points and the Port of Mombasa that could have led to lost revenue.

Cases of cars being smuggled into the country or in transit have been on the rise, with the taxman keen to seal revenue leakage.

Tags:

KRA fraud Kenya Revenue Authority KIFWA smuggling port of Mombasa. clearing and forwarding agents customs agents Customs Commissioner Julius Musyoki illegal car import Kenya International Warehousing Association seal revenue leakages

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