Kenyan importers remain concerned that a new law requiring all importers to insure cargo locally might be a trade barrier in disguise. Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA) has said that they will fight the new directive if it turns out to be a non-tariff barrier (NTB).
“We hope this directive will not affect the time to clear cargo from the port,” said KIFWA representative William Ojonyo. The comments were made during the launch of Jubilee Insurance’s marine cargo insurance. Ojonyo said that clearing and forwarding agents wanted to be part of the initiative, but they wanted it to be seamless and that if the system was mainly manual, that would not be convenient, even if the capacity was available, somewhere. Jubilee Insurance CEO Patrick Tumbo said at the launch that they had the capacity required.