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 OPERATIONALIZATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF CARGO LOGISTICS AT THE 
PORTS OF ENTRY AND INLAND CONTAINER DEPO TS IN KENYA  
In a letter  referenced OP/CAB 9/83A  dated 4th June 2019 , the Head of Public 
Service of the Rep ublic of Kenya directed all Cabinet Secretaries, Principal 
Secretaries  and accounting officers, and Heads of State Corporations/Agencies 
as follows:  
The Government appreciates that the cost of doing business and efficiency at Ports of 
Entry is dependent on actions by the Government Agencies, shipping lines, clearing 
agents as well as the cargo owners. It is therefore critical to have proper co -ordination 
and harmonization of various intervention measures at Ports of Entry in order to 
achieve the desired goals. To address the inefficiencies in the critical processes and 
factors contributing to increased processing time and costs, the government therefore 
directs as follows: - 
1. Definition of Lead Agency  
For purposes of interpretation of this circular, the term Lead Agency shall have the 
following meaning for the various ports of entry:  
 Sea Ports and Inland Container Depots – Kenya Ports Authority  
 International Airports  – Kenya Airports Authority  
 Land Border Points – Kenya Revenue Authority  
 
2. Reduction of Government Agencies at Ports of Entry  
To red uce duplication of roles and increase efficiency, the Government Agencies and 
other entities who have been operating at Ports of Entry are now grouped into five 
categories.  
Category 1: Sea Vessel Boarding Parties  
i) Port Health  
ii) Immigration  
iii) Kenya Revenue Authority, Customs Department  
iv) Port Facility Security Office (PFSO), Kenya Ports Authority  
Category 2: Frontline Port Operators  
i) Kenya Ports Authority (KPA)  
ii) Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)  
iii) Kenya Railways Cooperation (KRC)  
iv) Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)  
Category 3: Intelligence -led Operators  
i) National Intelligence Services (NIS)  
ii) Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)  
iii) Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS)  
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 Category 4: All other Government Agencies  
This category includes all other Government  Agencies not included in Category 1, 2 
and 3.  
Category 5: Clearing Agents  
3. Operational areas for various categories of entities  
 
a. Agencies in Category One  shall be domiciled within the Ports of Entry. They shall 
have full access to vessels and shall be the only Agencies whose representatives 
will be allowed to board  docked  vessels at the Port. Any other agency that may 
wish to board a vessel whose activity may have an impact on cargo logistics, will 
make an application to the Lead Agency . All Agencies  shall nominate, by name , 
officers who shall board the vessels. This shall be presented in advance in advance 
and in writing to the Lead Agency prior to docking of vessels.  
 
b. Agencies in Category Two  shall operate within  the Port and shall not need to fill 
the Accountability Form. They must however adhere  to the agreed timelines and 
procedures for clearance of cargo.  
 
c. Agencies in Category Three  shall be domiciled inside the Ports of Entry. They will 
undertake any cargo re lated intervention after making a formal request to the Head 
of the Lead Agency using the Port of Entry Accountability Form.  
 
d. Agencies in Category Four  shall be domiciled outside  the ports of Entry and entry 
to the Ports by any of these Government agencies  shall be sanctioned by the Lead 
Agency to facilitate the Agencies undertake their mandate.  
 
e. Entities in category five shall operate strictly outside  the port and their operations 
shall be defined and communicated by the Lead Agency . 
 
4. Enriched Certificate of Conformity (CoC)  
i) For the purposes of ensuring conformity to quality standards and the 
adherence to other regulatory requirements for cargo entering the 
country,  the Kenya Bureau of Standards shall be the lead agency  for the 
purpose of coordinating inspection of goods at the country of origin and the 
issuance of enriched CoCs.  
 
ii) The enriched CoC shall become operational with effect from 30th June 2019 . 
 
5. KPA use of peripheral Storage Facilities  
 
KPA may operate peripheral  storage facilities proximate to the Inland Container 
Depot in Nairobi that are gazetted by KRA in accordance with existing procedures. 
The use of peripheral storage facilities shall be based on the qualification of need 
for extra storage as determined fro m time to time through assessment of cargo 
inflow and the capacity provided by existing storage facilities.  Page 3 of 3 
 6. Agreed Operational Guidelines for Cargo Logistics  
 
i) All Government agencies and other actors involved in the handling of cargo will 
be required to ensure that they operate on a 24-hour basis, every day of the 
week.  
 
ii) All Government agencies and other actors are required to adhere to the agreed 
operational guidel ines and timelines set for cargo processing at Ports of Entry.  
 
iii) It is directed that  all Government agencies involved with cargo handling take 
action to automate their systems and to interface them with KENTRADE’s 
Single Window System by 1st September, 2019.  
 
7. Agency Ma ndate  
 
For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby clarified that all Government Agencies 
with mandate over international trade operations shall continue to remain 
accountable for the discharge of their respective mandates in accordance with 
the existing lega l frameworks, but subject to adherence with the guidelines 
provided in this circular.  
 
All Agencies are directed to adhere to the Operational Guidelines provided in 
this circular, which comes into force with immediate effect.  
 
 
 
FROM THE HEAD OF PUBLIC SERVICE, REPUBLIC OF KENYA