Import and export operations across Kenya will be temporarily paralyzed today after the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) announced a scheduled maintenance shutdown of its integrated Customs Management System (iCMS). The shutdown, slated for Saturday, January 11, from 10 PM to Sunday, January 12, at 6 AM, is expected to cause a major disruption of cargo movement at various ports.
The eight-hour maintenance window might seem brief, but its impact could be very costly. The iCMS serves as the sole platform for processing import and export documentation across Kenya’s ports, making it a critical lifeline for international trade operations. Any downtime, even planned, is concerning for stakeholders who are still reeling from previous system failures.
To be fair, these concerns aren’t unfounded. The system’s track record has been far from stellar, despite its promising beginnings during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration. While iCMS was introduced to streamline cargo clearance, recent history tells a different story.
In November of last year, a devastating five-day system outage at the Port of Mombasa led to substantial economic losses, with tea exports worth Ksh3.25 billion left stranded at port facilities.
The previous incident’s ripple effects extended beyond the port, disrupting the Mombasa Tea Auction and forcing traders across various sectors to count mounting losses. Industry stakeholders have since been pushing KRA to develop a backup system that could take over when iCMS experiences downtimes—a call that has grown more urgent with this latest scheduled interruption.
Originally, iCMS was meant to be a game-changer for Kenya’s trade infrastructure. Its promised features included pre-arrival processing capabilities, preferential treatment for Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs), and enhanced security through automated risk management. The system was also designed to facilitate regional integration by connecting with neighboring countries’ revenue administrations.
However, the gap between promise and reality has left many in Kenya’s trading community questioning the system’s reliability. While scheduled maintenance is necessary for any technical system, the lack of a backup solution means that every shutdown, planned or unplanned, effectively freezes Kenya’s import and export operations.
For now, with no alternative solution in sight, port users and traders should brace for the delay that will be caused by the upcoming scheduled maintenance tonight.
