Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) revenue collection at Busia border hit Ksh.4 billion following the establishment of a One Stop Border Post in the County.
This is compared to Ksh.400 million the taxman had collected in 2018 before the establishment of the border post.
The OSBP which was launched in 2018 has reduced turnaround time for travelers and cargo clearance at the same time sealed loopholes for revenue proliferation.
KRA Western Regional Coordinator Pamela Ahago said all government departments from Kenya and Uganda involved in the process have been brought together under one roof to hasten clearance.
This, she added, has seen the more than twenty clearance stops reduced to one enhancing efficiency in service delivery.
An ultra-modern drive through scanner, luggage scanners, detectors and CCTV surveillance installed at the border post, she added, has helped to ease flow of trucks at the same time net extra revenue which previously was being lost.
The facility, she added, was now clearing up to 2, 000 inbound and outbound vehicles daily owing to the various interventions put in place to enhance efficiency.
“The congestion we used to experience is now a thing of the past with all goods on transit cleared the same day thus boosting our revenue collection,” she said.
This, she added, was in line with KRA’s mandate to facilitate trade within the region adding that other projects were lined up to enhance efficiency at the border post even further.
The projects among them expansion of the Kisian-Busia road and installation of electric gates at the facility, she said, were expected to boost the capacity of the facility to net more revenue.
“The government has done a lot of work towards facilitating trade here and the larger Africa. As you know we are approaching Africa Continental Free Trade Area which we have to implement and this One Stop Border Post is expected to play a critical role,” Ahago said.
However, according to KRA, dealing with contraband goods and counterfeits at the border remains the biggest challenge.
Additional information by KNA
