KRA Rolls Out New Vendor Framework for Cargo Tracking Seals

The Kenya Revenue Authority has announced a major shift in how goods moving under customs control will be monitored and tracked, marking the end of an era for the electronic seals it has owned and managed directly under the Regional Electronic Cargo Monitoring System.

In a public notice issued this week, KRA revealed that it has approved 15 vendors to provide electronic monitoring and tracking services for both dry cargo, through e-seals, and wet cargo, through e-fuel seals. This move introduces what the Authority calls a Multi Vendor, User Owned Seals model, a departure from the previous arrangement where KRA solely supplied and controlled these devices.

According to the notice, the change is meant to support ongoing efforts to decongest the country’s ports while giving importers, exporters, clearing and forwarding agents, transporters and bonded warehouse operators more flexibility in choosing who supplies their tracking devices. Rather than relying on a single government owned system, users will now be able to select from any of the 15 approved vendors based on commercial agreements negotiated privately between the two parties.

For businesses currently using KRA’s existing electronic seals, there is a clear timeline to keep in mind. The Authority has stated that these seals will be phased out gradually, with a final cut off date of 26th October 2026. From that point onward, all electronic monitoring and tracking of goods under customs control will be carried out exclusively through devices supplied by the newly approved vendors.

This is a significant adjustment for anyone involved in the movement of goods through Kenya’s borders and ports, and stakeholders are being urged to start preparing early. Since the framework now operates on a private commercial basis, businesses will need to engage directly with their vendor of choice to understand pricing, service terms and onboarding timelines well before the October deadline.

KRA has made it easy for stakeholders to access the full list of approved vendors. It can be found on the Authority’s website at www.kra.go.ke, requested via email at cmu@kra.go.ke, or obtained in person by visiting the Cargo Monitoring Unit on the 13^th  floor of Times Tower or any other Customs office countrywide.

The notice was issued under the office of the Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, and it comes as part of KRA’s broader push to modernise cargo monitoring while opening up the space to more players in the industry.

Read Also: What Kenyan Businesses Need to Know About Tax Disputes with KRA