Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) registered improved performance in the first quarter of 2021 as is intensified use technology to clear cargo. The authority attributed the upturn to use of Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) for Cargo Clearance and seamless exchange of clearance data. In the first three months of this year, a report indicates the Port witnessed increased volumes in container traffic registering 389,515 twenty foot equivalent units (Teus) against 340,812 Teus recorded in a similar period in 2020. Trans-shipment traffic recorded 69,658 Teus against 41,363 Teus during the corresponding period in 2020. The container traffic translates to an increase of 48,703 Teus or 14.3 per cent while trans-shipment traffic registered a growth of 28,295 Teus representing 68.4 per cent increment. Total imports during the quarter recorded 162,504 Teus up from 151,998 Teus in the same period last year registering a growth of 6.9 percent. Equally, exports registered an upsurge by 6.8 per cent from 146,049 Teus in 2020 to 156,007 Teus during the similar period in 2021. March particularly boosted the port’s performance, registering a marked growth in both conventional and containerised cargo. A total of 3.48 million tonnes were recorded in the month against 2.71 million tonnes in the corresponding month in 2020, which represents a performance of 768,453 tonnes or 28.4 per cent. The performance was mainly attributed to increase in handling of wheat and clinker cargo. For container traffic, the port recorded an increase of 31,261 Teus or 30.4 per cent to register 133,904 Teus in...

Summary Revenue targets. Government hopes to raise at least Shs400 billion from 10 Tax (Amendment) Bills 2021 in the quest to meet revenue targets in an economy where the Covid-19 pandemic has battered collections. On April 1, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija proposed a raft of tax amendments, most of which tax analysts say if passed in their current form, will deepen the tax burden. Government is looking to collect at least Shs400 billion from the 10 Tax  (Amendment) Bills including; the Traffic and  Road  Safety Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The  Fish (Amendment) Bill 2021, The  Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2021, The  External Trade (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Mining  (Amendment) Bill, 2021. These are in addition to the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill 2021, The Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2021, The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2021, The Tax Procedures Code (Amendment) Bill 2021 and The Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2021. Uganda’s government runs an incremental budget. Every financial year, the budget increases by about Shs1 trillion. Implications While submitting their alternative revenue mobilisation proposals to the Parliamentary Committee on Finance last week, members of Tax Justice Alliance Uganda (TJAU) noted that everyone should pay their fair share of taxes. Under the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2021, government wants to amend a law that will compel whoever earns rental income from more than one rental building to pay tax for each of the buildings separately. In addition the person will account for each building separately without combining income or expenses from one...

What you need to know: Lately, the UK-Africa relationship has been dominated by trade and investment issues. At the same time, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) gives hope to millions on the continent. As one of Africa’s leading economic partners, the United Kingdom has played a huge role in shaping policies across the continent over the years. Decades after independence, London still occupies a special place in many African capitals. As Britain explores new trade deals after its formal separation from the European Union, will Africans leverage the changes to their advantages? Will the UK and Africa work together to create opportunities for their people? Lately, the UK-Africa relationship has been dominated by trade and investment issues as London seeks to improve its relationship with countries across the globe. At the same time, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) – a pillar in the march towards a border-free Africa – gives hope to millions on the continent despite the Covid-19 pandemic that has ravaged economies the world over. Appreciating the context of what post-pandemic growth looks like will afford the interests stemming from the UK-Africa relationship a fighting chance in seeking a balance between intercontinental and intra-continental trade and investment deals. No longer tethered to the EU’s trade agreements, London’s post-Brexit agenda focuses on manoeuvring its relationship with individual states. Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated at last year’s UK-Africa Summit that Britain had all it took to become Africa’s “obvious partner of choice”. In this vein, the UK...

KAMPALA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said Tuesday that talks are needed to prevent irregularities in trade among member states of the East African Community (EAC). Museveni made the remarks when meeting a visiting Kenyan delegation for discussions on bilateral trade, according to a statement from the Ugandan State House. The meeting was held after Kenya banned importation of maize and dairy products from Uganda. The essence of competition consists in a common market, and any business that breaks the rules should cease to exist, Museveni told the meeting, adding that trade irregularities between the two countries be eliminated. The Kenyan delegation was led by Betty Maina, Kenya's cabinet secretary of the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development, who said that importation of Ugandan maize was banned as a result of toxins and moisture content found in the grain. "The maize lacked a certain level of dryness (required) by Kenya and East African standards," she said. Amelia Kyambadde, Uganda's minister of trade, industry and cooperatives, said that Uganda will improve the quality of maize exports and Kenya and other EAC member countries need to continue to trade together. The EAC is an intergovernmental organization composed of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Enditem Read original article

Kampala – Officials from the Government of the Republic of Uganda and the Republic of Kenya, have Tuesday morning met to discuss ways of advancing Bi-lateral trade between both countries. The officials meet at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters in efforts to discuss the current and emerging issues between the two countries that have built a lasting relationship over the years. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in line with its core mandate of promoting commercial and economic diplomacy, has previously engaged the Government of the Republic of Kenya under the framework of the Joint Ministerial Commission to secure concessions to increase Uganda’s trade volumes of goods exported to Kenya. Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Ms Grace Adong, the Acting Permanent Secretary welcomed the Kenyan Delegation to Uganda and highlighted that these efforts to resolve the trade issues between Uganda and Kenya are being perused in the spirit of promoting cooperation and integration within the East African Community. Adong further observed that this was not an accident, but rather a process of “meticulous calculation and foresight of the political leadership of both countries. Ag. Trade Ministry PS further reiterated that the benefits of integration and cooperation far outweigh the costs. She also noted that total trade between Uganda and Kenya has increased from 168 million dollars registered in 1999 to 1.247 billion dollars in 2020, an increment of 644%. Total trade was recorded as 1.325 billion dollars in the year before COVID-19 – 2019. In...

Summary Before the pandemic set in, Ann Mayanja would make a shipment of 960 bags to European markets in a week. Not anymore. Paul Murungi writes. For the last 30 years, Ann Mayanja has cemented her position in the coffee world. Through her company Coffee World Limited, she later ventured into exporting coffee. From farming, processing, trading and up to the export level, she has seen it all in the coffee value chain. Her stamp on coffee is also felt across the borders with key contacts in the European Union market in countries such as Spain and Italy. However, no economic catastrophe had ever tested Mayanja’s 30 year-experience in coffee like the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic set in, a shipment of 960 bags could be made to European markets in space of a week. She remains tight lipped on the revenues, but insists it was good business. This is no more after the pandemic hit her key export markets in Spain and Italy. Back home, the Covid-19 restrictions heavily affected Mayanja, especially with closure of the border. This left her in a catch- 22 situation. First, the imports went down and this created scarcity of containers making business dormant for her. Whereas a lot of coffee had been made redundant in stores, banks remained at the door steps since part of her working capital was a loan. With a normalcy returning slowly, Mayanja has diversified into farming. But the effects remain deeply etched with hopes of recovery taking longer....

SUMMARY When Kenya and Ethiopia launched the Moyale one-stop border post (OSBP)in December, it was hoped that the impact of the facility would be immediately felt. After decades of subdued bilateral trade, largely due to non-tariff barriers such as long bureaucratic procedures, bans and sanctions, the facility was expected to usher in an era of seamless trade between the two countries. The new border crossing is meant to consolidate clearances for travellers, and transporters, under one roof so that they do not have to undergo two processes for approval. When Kenya and Ethiopia launched the Moyale one-stop border post (OSBP)in December, it was hoped that the impact of the facility would be immediately felt. After decades of subdued bilateral trade, largely due to non-tariff barriers such as long bureaucratic procedures, bans and sanctions, the facility was expected to usher in an era of seamless trade between the two countries. The new border crossing is meant to consolidate clearances for travellers, and transporters, under one roof so that they do not have to undergo two processes for approval. But it appears they will have to wait longer to reap the dividends of the facility on lack of harmonised border operations. It takes about 21 hours and 52 minutes for people and goods to cross into Ethiopia from Kenya and 12.5 hours from Ethiopia into Kenya, a new report shows. To address the challenge, TradeMark Africa (TMA) is working with both the countries to reduce the barriers. “The two governments are jointly...

For decades, African women have been trapped in poverty cycles due to several underlying factors including unequal access to education, factors of production, and trade facilities; inequitable labour saving technologies; underpaid or unpaid labour; harmful cultural practices; and limited legal protection from gender inequality practices entrenched in society. To break the cycle of poverty and inequalities, the African Union continues to advocate for the development and implementation of policies and legal; frameworks that will create a wider array of opportunities for women, and which will lead to their economic empowerment at the national and regional levels, and ensuring that the development envisaged for Africa is inclusive and sustainable. With the launch of trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January 2021, the expectations are high as relates to the expanded business prospects for women-led businesses, which will unlock the potential for African women to grow their businesses from micro to macro enterprises. The Agreement establishing the AfCFTA recognises the need to build and improve the export capacity of both formal and informal service suppliers, with particular attention to micro, small and medium size enterprises in which women and youth actively participate. Furthermore, the AfCFTA Protocols on Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Investment, Intellectual Property Rights and Competition Policy, provide clear guidelines to ensure emerging enterprises and infant industries are protected thus adding impetus to the Agenda 2063 goals of gender equality, women empowerment and youth development. Through the AfCFTA, informal and micro and small enterprises will...

Summary Sizeable drop in the number of projects and project value largely blamed on region’s inability to meet financing costs due to the effects of coronavirus. Eastern African countries cut $68.3 billion spending on infrastructure projects last year, the largest decline in number of projects and value of projects in sub-Saharan Africa in a year. This is as a result of the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping across the region, hitting public finances and pushing governments into massive indebtedness. The Africa Construction Trends Report (2020) by consultancy firm Deloitte released last week shows that the number of infrastructure projects in the region covering Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda dropped by 35 per cent to 118 in 2020 from 182 in 2019 while the total value of the projects declined by 47 per cent to $77.7 billion from $146 billion in the same period. Infrastructure projects in the transport sector accounted for 51.5 per cent ($40 billion) of the region’s total projects, followed by energy and power (23.5 per cent) and the shipping and ports (21.5 per cent) sectors. According to the report, the sizable drop in the number of projects and project value largely resulted from the region’s inability to meet financing costs due to the effects of Covid-19 pandemic resulting in the suspension of several projects. For instance, the Ethiopian government’s interest in renegotiating payment schedules for the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway and Addis Ababa-Sebeta-Mieso-Dewale Road Project, led to thinned financing...

A Chinese-built seaport in Kenya's coastal county of Lamu will be operational in June, a Kenya Ports Authority official said on Monday. The new facility will enable Kenya to become a gateway of choice for Ethiopia, South Sudan and Somalia. NAIROBI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese-built seaport in Kenya's coastal Lamu County will be operational in June, a Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) official said on Monday. China Communications Construction Company has already completed construction of the first three berths of the port, Bernard Osero, head of KPA corporate affairs, told Xinhua over the phone. "Lamu port will specialize in handling containers and oil cargo between the east African hinterland and the rest of the world," he said. The new facility will enable Kenya to become a gateway of choice for Ethiopia, South Sudan and Somalia, Osero said. "Lamu Port will also complement the existing Port of Mombasa because it is a natural deep port that can handle larger sea vessels," he said. The Kenyan government is prioritizing Lamu Port as a key infrastructure facility that will link east Africa and west Africa through road and rail, Osero said. Read original article