MPS accuse KRA of traveller harrasment

Lawmakers are pushing to have the limit on the number of goods exceeding the duty free increased from the current USD 500 to USD10,000 on the day they narrated horrendous stories they have undergone in the hands of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials at the country’s airport.

The MPs who sit in the departmental committee on Finance and National planning said they will also distinguish between personal and commercial goods as well as define which ones should be taxed.

The committee chairperson and Molo MP Kimani Kuria: “As a committee we will be filing a motion in parliament to amend the law so that we can define goods that are taxable and those that are not as well as increase the limit.”

Committee members

Kimani made the remarks even as the committee members claimed that the KRA officials situated at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) have been harassing, intimidating and demeaning travellers upon entry in the guise that they are looking for goods that have exceeded the USD 500.

Led by Kuria, MPs Adan Keynan (Eldas), Sheikh Umul Ker Kassim (Mandera Woman Representative), Shadrack Mwiti (South Imenti), David Mboni (Kitui Rural), John Ariko (Turkana South) and Adipo Kuome (Karachuonyo) claimed that they have at some point been forced to leave some of their personal goods at the airport due to the harassment they have faced.

Kuria who was the first to narrate his ordeal said that he was forced to leave his iphone at the airport after he was harassed by the KRA officials when they discovered that he had bought a new phone.

He claimed that his demands to have them explain why they were harassing him because of a phone yet he had more valuable goods in his bag including two suits and three bottles of perfumes did not bear any fruits as they kept on pestering him to explain how much he had purchased the said gadget.

Said Kuria: “Sometimes back I was travelling back to the country and I happened to have upgraded my I-phone and because I did not have a pin, I put it in my bag and unfortunately when my luggage was scanned at the airport, a gentle man shouted that my bag has an iphone. The way they treated my bag is like I had carried contraband goods. I spent a whole hour with that officer and eventually I had to leave my phone there.”

Scanned luggage

Keynan said that he had bought a newspaper worth just 5 USD and upon arrival at the airport met an officer whom he claimed was very rude with a bad attitude as he demanded that he pays taxes on it.

He said: “That time I was so angry that I was even ready for a war with that officer but I chose not to and instead gave him the newspaper. The attitude being exhibited by the officers is unfortunate. What I want to tell KRA is that what they are doing is not in the best interest of the country and this will cost us more.”

Mwiti said that it is unfortunate that KRA officials are infringing on people’s privacy as they are even searching undergarments.

He said: “imagine these officials even searching for underwear in the presence of my children and grandchildren yet I am Njuri Ncheke elder.”

Ariko said it was high time the limit is increased to avoid a situation where people are being subjected to tax on personal items.

He said: “the issue of USD 500 is too low. Some people like us who have polygamous families are expected to buy quite a number of items for our children. How will you treat us?”

Various points

Makilap and Mwalika sought to know how KRA determined the limit of USD 500 and why it had started enforcing the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA) which was enacted in 2014 at this time.

On its part, KRA said it has so far collected Sh51 million declared at the various points of entry since the crackdown commenced.

KRA said it collected Sh8.1 million in July, Sh9.4 million in August, another Sh14 million in September and Sh19 million in October.

KRA Commissioner in charge of Customs and Border Control Department Lillian Nyawanda said that they started the crackdown after they noted a surge in the entry of goods that are dutiable.

She also said that they have also been able to stop the entry of prohibited goods such as guns, sex toys, sheesha viagra among others.

She said: “Through its surveillance at the border points, KRA has reduced the smuggling of restricted and prohibited goods including counterfeit substandard goods and narcotic drugs among others.”