Recent media reports indicated that goods worth approximately Sh629 billion exported from China to Kenya do not appear in Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) import records thereby understandably generating public concern. At first glance, such figures suggest a massive revenue leakage and raise questions about integrity of Kenya's customs administration.
However, as an experienced practitioner in the customs clearing and freight forwarding industry, I believe the public deserves a more nuanced and technically informed discussion.
While the discrepancy is significant and warrants urgent investigation, it would be premature to conclude that the entire difference represents lost taxes or corruption.
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