Members of Parliament and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) have raised concerns over arbitrary charges by the county governments on products entering the Kenyan market via the sea.

The concerns emerged during a meeting with the National Assembly's Committee on Regional Integration on Sunday, where Ruto told the lawmakers that the imposition of the County Export Sub-levy System (CESS) charges by the county governments on already cleared cargo was unnecessary and hurting businesses.

According to the KPA boss, the impact of the arbitrary charges imposed by various agencies continued to erode Kenya's competitive edge as a regional hub, this is despite the containers having been cleared. 

"When containers leave the Port, they usually have a seal which is proof that all necessary charges have been settled," said Captain Ruto.

A port official handling containers at the Mombasa Port on April 7, 2022.

Photo

Kenya Ports Authority

He further called for the increased automation and integration of weighbridge systems across the transport network, in addition to the standard margin of tolerance to promote compliance and boost transit effectiveness.

Meanwhile, lawmakers raised concerns that despite the government's efforts to reduce the number of cargo clearing agencies from 27 to four, the presence of weighbridges and police roadblocks along the Northern Corridor continues to hamper smooth cargo movement and trade efficiency.

Speaking during the visit, the Committee chairperson Irene Mayaka reaffirmed the Committee's commitment to addressing the challenges through legislative interventions.

Among the interventions, the MPs vowed to advocate for modern scanning technology at the Port and enhance the security of the cargo along the Lamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) and Northern Corridors. 

"We shall follow up on non-tariff barriers along the Northern Corridor, advocate for incentives for potential investors in the Blue Economy, push for modern scanning technology at the Port and enhance the security of the cargo along the LAPSSET and Northern Corridor," stated Mayaka.

KPA levies a range of charges on goods passing through the country’s ports to facilitate cargo handling, storage, and port infrastructure maintenance. Key among these are port handling charges, stevedoring, and wharfage fees, which apply to all imports and exports depending on cargo type—be it containerised, bulk, or conventional.

Containerised cargo attracts additional container handling fees based on size and whether the container is full or empty.

Storage charges are also levied if cargo remains at the port beyond the allowed free storage period, which is typically four days for containers and seven days for bulk goods. Other fees include shore handling, documentation charges, and security levies. 

Specific goods, such as refrigerated items, are subject to reefer plug-in fees, while hazardous cargo attracts a dangerous goods surcharge due to the additional precautions required.

KPA also imposes weighbridge and verification charges in coordination with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), especially where cargo is physically inspected or weighed. 

These port fees are critical for port operations but have drawn criticism from some traders who argue that the cumulative effect of multiple charges, especially when combined with county CESS levies, reduces Kenya’s competitiveness as a regional logistics hub.

A crane unloading cargo from a ship docked at the Port of Mombasa, February 3, 2025.

Photo

KPA