News
New electronic port clearance system to be operational in two weeks
The electronic platform for lodging of trade documents will be fully operational from July 1 as the State moves to boost efficiency and transparency in business transactions.
Treasury secretary Henry Rotich said the Kenya National Electronic Single Window System (Kenya Tradenet System) will handle transactions by all government regulatory agencies to help cut costs and time, as well as enhance transparency in importation of commodities.
“The declaration module has now been put in place and beginning the first of July 2015, all importers and exporters and other related stakeholders will be required to process their transactions through the system. This will enhance transparency, accountability, governance and competitiveness while at the same time improving revenue collection,” he told Parliament last week.
The online platform enables parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardised information and documents within a single entry point to fulfil all import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements.
Several agencies including the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) are already operating on the platform that has also been piloted in Rwanda.
The implementation of the Kenya TradeNet System started in 2012 and the system went live in October 2013. It was officially launched on May 2, 2014 in Nairobi by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda at the invitation of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
To date, at least 17 modules have been successfully implemented with only three still under implementation.
Besides clearance of trade transaction online, the government also plans to have all public procurement done online and linked to the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) which links all ministries and agencies including county governments.
The procurement and payment module will replace the current uncoordinated accounting and budgeting system which makes it easy for dishonest officials to collude with cartels in defrauding the government.
Estimates by the Treasury show that the government loses over Sh70 billion annually due to fraudulent manipulations in procurement processes. The Procure to Pay system will handle purchase requisition, online tendering and award, receipts matching, invoice delivery, purchase order generation and payment initiation.
The module will also handle complex jobs including budgetary controls, goods delivery and inspection receipting.
