A major logistical nightmare faces
the clearance of cargo in Mombasa, following the abrupt re-opening of
two container freight stations owned by Governor Hassan Joho’s family.
The CFSs had been accused of handling smuggled goods, including sugar, ethanol and rice, and were shut down last week by the Kenya Revenue Authority and operations halted at the stations.
However, there was uproar over the move, with the Joho family, managers at the two CFSs, a section of politicians, importers and clearing agents accusing the government of unfairly closing the stations.
Joho’s family is also on record saying that the goods, worth millions, impounded at the port last year, belonged to a businessman who happened to be their client, a statement that has also been backed by the CFS Association.
But yesterday afternoon, KRA cut the seals at the gates to allow importers and clearing agents to evacuate their consignments from the CFSs after it issued a 36-hour order to have the containers cleared.
On Saturday, KRA Commissioner General John Njiraini, in a statement, accused the CFSs of failing to comply with the order to re-open and shut them once the goods were cleared.
Portside Container Freight Station Operations manager Salim Juma said it would be impossible to clear all the containers within the KRA deadline.
He accused the KPA of also being in contempt of a court order despite KRA honouring the same, saying the management was in discussions over what to do next.
Omar confirmed that the number of containers still inside Portside stood at 1,020, while Autoport had 1,007 and hundreds were still within KPA awaiting clearance.
The official also said vehicles in transit, most of which were headed to South Sudan, stood at around 150.
“We have received complaints from importers as far away as Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Southern Sudan, threatening to boycott using the port and are looking for alternative facilities due to the closure, which was done non-procedurally, without giving reasons
The CFSs had been accused of handling smuggled goods, including sugar, ethanol and rice, and were shut down last week by the Kenya Revenue Authority and operations halted at the stations.
However, there was uproar over the move, with the Joho family, managers at the two CFSs, a section of politicians, importers and clearing agents accusing the government of unfairly closing the stations.
Joho’s family is also on record saying that the goods, worth millions, impounded at the port last year, belonged to a businessman who happened to be their client, a statement that has also been backed by the CFS Association.
But yesterday afternoon, KRA cut the seals at the gates to allow importers and clearing agents to evacuate their consignments from the CFSs after it issued a 36-hour order to have the containers cleared.
On Saturday, KRA Commissioner General John Njiraini, in a statement, accused the CFSs of failing to comply with the order to re-open and shut them once the goods were cleared.
Portside Container Freight Station Operations manager Salim Juma said it would be impossible to clear all the containers within the KRA deadline.
He accused the KPA of also being in contempt of a court order despite KRA honouring the same, saying the management was in discussions over what to do next.
Omar confirmed that the number of containers still inside Portside stood at 1,020, while Autoport had 1,007 and hundreds were still within KPA awaiting clearance.
The official also said vehicles in transit, most of which were headed to South Sudan, stood at around 150.
“We have received complaints from importers as far away as Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Southern Sudan, threatening to boycott using the port and are looking for alternative facilities due to the closure, which was done non-procedurally, without giving reasons
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