Battery manufacturers in the country say they are likely to run short of raw materials following increased smuggling of scrap batteries to Tanzania.

In the last two months, Kenya has intercepted illicit scrap batteries destined for Tanzania three months after the State lifted a ban on dealings in scrap metal.

On Monday, authorities intercepted a truck on Mombasa Road ferrying scrap batteries to neighbouring Tanzania.

The truck, was detained at around 1.45 am on the Nairobi-Mombasa Road at Kimana area and taken to Loitoktok Police Station.

Illicit trade

The driver was set to be arraigned before court this morning to face charges of exporting scrap metal without a licence.

Peter Wafula of the Battery Manufacturers Association is calling on the government to collaborate with Tanzania’s authorities to end the illicit trade. 

“The situation is getting serious and if not controlled local manufacturers will have to close or scale down operations due to lack of raw materials,” said Wafula.

The government in May issued strict regulations that require licensed scrap metal dealers to transport their cargo between the prescribed 6.30 am and 6.30 pm.

With the new regulations in place, the State lifted a January 20, 2022 ban that President Uhuru Kenyatta imposed on scrap metal business following a surge in vandalism of critical national assets including power transformers.

The new rules impose a Sh10 million fine or a three-year jail term to anyone found operating without a license. Repeat offenders are liable to a fine not exceeding Sh20 million or imprisonment for not more than five years. Export of scrap metal under the new rules remains restricted.

Charles Chepkonga, the Loitoktok Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) said that a multi-agency team is currently handling the interception of the truck ferrying the scrap batteries to Tanzania.

Multi-agency team

The multi-agency team comprises officers from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and the Kenyan Revenue Authority among others.

The authority is undertaking investigations to establish whether the transporters of scrap batteries have the necessary licences issued by the authority. 

“We have taken over the matter and we want to establish whether the arrested transporter has a licence from us which is a requirement under the law,” Joseph Kopejo, the Nema director in charge of Kajiado.

Last year, the KRA Deputy Commissioner in charge of the western region Pamela Ahago said despite the business being outlawed, some traders were still exporting scrap automotive batteries using the porous border points.

Kenya banned the export of scrap metals, which includes spent-lead-acid–batteries (SLABs), through the law enacted in 2015. The East African region has two lead-acid battery manufacturers, namely Associated Battery Manufacturers (ABM) and Uganda Batteries Limited (UBL) who produce about 30 percent of the East African market requirement.