MPs Oppose KRA’s Directive To Transport Imported Cargo Via SGR

MPs yesterday opposed the directive by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to have importers of goods transport their cargo only via the SGR.

The leaders said that this was a counterproductive move by the two agencies and it should not be accepted as it will cause more harm than good.

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir condemned the move saying that if the government is to implement the directive, towns along the Mombasa- Nairobi highway are bound to ‘die’ and employees will lose their jobs.

“It is wrong that a state officer can sit somewhere and come up with directives of this nature. This is a grave matter. It is serious. You cannot kill a whole transport industry by saying all cargo must be hauled by SGR. Something is not right. We have reached a state where businesses are being forced to take up such directives,” said Leader of majority and Garissa Town MP Aden Duale.

The MPs say that the government seems to be concentrating on boosting the SGR only, forgetting that there are other small businesses that need to thrive for the betterment of the whole economy.

Members of parliament that truckers are already suffering because of lack of business and to force them to completely shut down their businesses is insensitive.

“Towns are dying. The government cannot only concentrate on SGR and forget that we have roads and small businesses people who depend on the same,” Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai said.

The new directive by KRA and KPA is yet another attempt by the government to generate revenue for the repayment of the loan used to finance SGR’s construction after making huge losses of close to 10 billion shillings in its first year of operation.

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