Why this project?

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) was designed and developed to address the limitations and system downtimes that were characteristic of the previous SIMBA 2005 system. Some of the challenges of the SIMBA 2005 system were: Operational inefficiencies visible in the longer clearance times for goods; Subjectivity in the administration and management of applications by traders, often leading to delayed clearance and lost business opportunities to traders; Revenue leakages resulting from misdeclaration and cargo diversion; Low implementation of preclearance processes – further increasing clearance time. As a main artery in facilitating clearance of import and export of goods into and outside Kenya, digitisation of all KRA’s customs processes creates a conducive environment for importers and exporters both domestic and foreign to trade with Kenya.

What:

Automation of key customs procedures including import processes, export processes, transit and transshipments by land, air, and sea. This eliminates process inaction times, reduce paper work and human interface, thus faster clearance of goods.  The now rolled out, iCMS automates, integrates, and harmonises KRA customs processes into a single system accessible to exporters, importers and customs agents operating within Kenya, with the goal of enhancing efficiency in customs operations, and enabling the country to conform to best global customs standards. In addition to providing relevant clearance information through the system, iCMS is designed to ensure customs agents provide all documentation required to clear an entry at the point of submitting application. This ensures high levels of both documentary and process compliance to facilitate faster approvals. Automation reduces officer discretion and allows objectivity and integrity of processes.

How:

With funding from British High Commission in Kenya, Danida and Finland TMA provided technical and financial support to KRA to develop and deploy, iCMS, a modern customs system. This included development of 42 modules, knowledge and technology transfer, support and maintenance, module enhancements and integrations to internal and external systems to KRA customs, change management and setting up of a new KRA data centre. The system is integrated to RECTS (Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System) and SCT (Single Customs Territory) further enabling KRA’s and its counterpart EAC Revenue Authorities to track cargo in real time while in transit to minimize cargo diversion.

Contact:

Kennedy Karanja, Email kennedy.karanja@trademarkafrica.com

Desired Results:

Full roll out is expected to:

1. Improve efficiency and effectiveness of customs management through reduction in clearance times by up to 60%.
2. Improve compliance with clearance procedures and customs transit operations.
3. Increase revenue collection through sealing of revenue leakages that are often synonymous with manual processes.
4. Reduce costs of doing business for importers and exporters resulting from faster and efficient clearance of cargo at the ports of entry.
5. Provision of data: iCMS will provide KRA and the business community with data for analytics and other business intelligence functions to support their operations, policy decisions and further improve the trade environment for businesses in Kenya.