Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has decried rampant cases of vandalism and theft of cargo tracking seals along the busy Mombasa-Malaba highway.
This follows a public outcry from long-distance truck drivers who have fallen prey to the vandals who break and steal the seals, making it difficult for them to get clearance while crossing the border.
According to the KRA Deputy Commissioner in charge of Border Control and Enforcement Chege Macharia, the motivation behind the menace is not to steal the cargo but the seals,' batteries, which are in turn used to light homes in Busia and other rural counties along the highway.
"The motivation behind the theft is not about stealing cargo but to remove the batteries from the seals for domestic use. They charge them using electricity for lighting homes because they believe that they retain power for a long period," he said.
With pressure mounting from the long-distance truck drivers, Macharia said a special team comprising the National Police Service (NPS), National Intelligence Service (NIS), and KRA has been formed to investigate and trace the stolen devices.
He cautioned those behind the cannibalisation of the seals to stop before the long arm of the law catches up with them.
"We are on top of things. Already we have some leads on where these devices are. We are appealing to members of the public to volunteer information to the police so that we can arrest those involved and put an end to this menace," he said.
Macharia said the tracking system was critical in KRA's drive to scale up revenue collection, and said simultaneous raids shall be conducted in the affected areas along the highway to recover the devices.
Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS), as it is commonly referred to, is an initiative of KRA in partnership with the revenue administrations of the partner states of Uganda and Rwanda and seeks in the mid-term, to rope in all EAC states and outlying countries in the region.
Comprising of satellites, a monitoring centre, and special electronic seals fitted on cargo containers and trucks, the system enables real time tracking of transit cargo from the port of Mombasa to its final destination through an online digital platform.
KRA's decision to implement a cargo tracking and security system was a response to the government's interest in improving tax collection, enhancing enforcement of cargo handling regulations, and maintaining Kenya as a preferred trade route for cargo in East Africa.
Kenya Long Distance Drivers Association (KLDDA) chairman Sudi Mwatela said the issue was a thorn in the flesh for the drivers since they were forced to part with hefty fines by KRA when the gadgets were found missing.
He said KRA has imposed a $2,500(Sh322, (Sh322,550) fine for every lost device, a figure, he said was too hefty for the drivers.
"It is a requirement to have the tracking system, but when we park our vehicles, the thieves strike at night. Sometimes our drivers are involved in accidents and the devices are damaged, but KRA still demands that they pay," he said.
He urged police to intensify patrols along the Mombasa-Nairobi-Malaba transport corridor to enhance the safety of the devices.