KRA to block imports without digital marine cargo insurance from 1 November
Every consignment will need cover from a Kenyan-licensed insurer, sent to the customs system before the goods are declared.
Based on reporting by The Eastleigh Voice, The Star and Business Daily.
Cranes, cargo and containers at the Port of Mombasa. Photo: StarNews
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) will stop imported goods from clearing customs from 1 November 2026 unless they carry valid digital marine cargo insurance, according to a public notice dated 22 October.
Under the notice, every consignment entering Kenya must be insured by a company licensed by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA). The insurance certificate has to be processed through the Digital MCI System and reach KRA's Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) before the customs declaration is lodged.
KRA said consignments that do not comply will be blocked from clearance, and urged importers and clearing agents to comply before the deadline to avoid trade disruption. The authority said it is working with the IRA, whose website carries guidance for importers.
The digital cover requirement took effect in July, when importers began receiving electronic certificates sent straight to the customs system, The Star reported at the time. Industry players then estimated that more than 85 percent of marine cargo premiums on Kenyan imports had been going to foreign insurers.
Rules requiring imports to be insured locally date back to 2017, but earlier attempts by the IRA and KRA to enforce them did not succeed, Business Daily has reported. The new notice sets a firm date after which uninsured cargo will not move.
