President William Ruto has ordered an exemption for cargo consolidators from the new Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) requirements, responding to protests from small-scale traders.

• This directive addresses concerns that the ACD system, implemented on August 3, would increase import costs and complexity for small-scale importers.
• The exemption was announced during a meeting with micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) representatives.
• The intervention follows recent demonstrations by traders in Nairobi against a revised customs valuation framework by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), which increased the minimum benchmark for a consolidated 40-foot container from Sh2.5 million to Sh3.2 million.

An aviation workers' strike at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has caused significant backlogs of perishable flower cargo, leading to substantial losses for Kenyan growers and exporters.

• Approximately 1,000 tonnes of flower cargo were stranded.
• The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) highlighted the severe impact on a vital export industry.
• The disruptions threaten already tight delivery schedules and negatively affect product quality and revenue.

President William Ruto has directed the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to provide a clear list of goods exempt from cargo consolidation, aiming to resolve a dispute that led to trader protests and business shutdowns in Nairobi.

• The directive aims to clarify which items are excluded from consolidation, addressing trader concerns about increased import costs due to a revised customs benchmark.
• Key entities involved are President William Ruto and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), with directives also issued to government agencies.
• This action follows protests by traders opposing the KRA's increase of the minimum benchmark for consolidated cargo from Sh2.5 million to Sh3.2 million, a 28 percent increase.