Efforts by acting Treasury chief John Michuki to decongest the port of Mombasa are gradually bearing fruit. Officials at the port and users said the piling up of containers has reduced sharply after the introduction of the 24-hour operation. When Mr Michuki returned to Mombasa to check on implementation of his orders given two months earlier, he was welcomed by fully uniformed Kenya Revenue Authority officers - including customs commissioner Rose Namu.
This is one of the measures he had proposed to make revenue officials visible and reduce corrupting through interacting with clearing agents.
The other one, also implemented, was the removal of agents from the port, which has, however, been met with spirited resistance from the Kenya International Freight & Warehousing Association (Kifwa).
Kifwa is, however, split with some officials siding with the government on the move while others bitterly opposing it.
“We are not busybodies at the port. We do business at the port,” said one of the dissenting faction members as he walked out ahead of the meeting - where seven members of the association showed up against two invitations. Clearing agents had been ordered to clear online.
Mr Michuki later gave them short shrift: “This is the only port allowing people to do business within. We shall not allow that kind of business.” He noted that the large number of agents at the port was not justified by the volume of cargo.
Kenya Shippers Council representing large customers supported Mr Michuki adding that Kifwa, whose faction had threatened to hoard tax paid by their clients, should talk to them before making statements.
Chairman David Mureithi noted that while the Michuki orders had 20 per cent been implemented, there was also need to punish those responsible for the delays including State agencies as well as offer incentives to those operating efficiently.
It emerged that Kenya Ports Authority under new chief James Mulewa had since the minister’s visit, nearly completed lighting a road critical to the round-the-clock operation.
Mr Michuki accepted what he called “more refined” proposals for disposing of goods at the port where 582 containers are to be cleared in 45 days, over stayed vehicles sold and those that do not meet local standards crushed in two weeks.
This is one of the measures he had proposed to make revenue officials visible and reduce corrupting through interacting with clearing agents.
The other one, also implemented, was the removal of agents from the port, which has, however, been met with spirited resistance from the Kenya International Freight & Warehousing Association (Kifwa).
Kifwa is, however, split with some officials siding with the government on the move while others bitterly opposing it.
“We are not busybodies at the port. We do business at the port,” said one of the dissenting faction members as he walked out ahead of the meeting - where seven members of the association showed up against two invitations. Clearing agents had been ordered to clear online.
Mr Michuki later gave them short shrift: “This is the only port allowing people to do business within. We shall not allow that kind of business.” He noted that the large number of agents at the port was not justified by the volume of cargo.
Kenya Shippers Council representing large customers supported Mr Michuki adding that Kifwa, whose faction had threatened to hoard tax paid by their clients, should talk to them before making statements.
Chairman David Mureithi noted that while the Michuki orders had 20 per cent been implemented, there was also need to punish those responsible for the delays including State agencies as well as offer incentives to those operating efficiently.
It emerged that Kenya Ports Authority under new chief James Mulewa had since the minister’s visit, nearly completed lighting a road critical to the round-the-clock operation.
Mr Michuki accepted what he called “more refined” proposals for disposing of goods at the port where 582 containers are to be cleared in 45 days, over stayed vehicles sold and those that do not meet local standards crushed in two weeks.