Nairobi — Clearing of cargo at Mombasa port will now take just one day.

This follows the installation of a new computer system at the port by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

On Thursday the authority briefed business people at Bandari College on the new system, which will allow electronic submission of declarations, electronic cargo tracking and upgrading of all information technology (IT) facilities at the port.

The system replaces Kenya Ports Authority's old network.

The KRA Senior Deputy Commissioner for Customs and Excise for Southern Region, Rose Namu, said that the current IT system was extremely unreliable, and coupled with bureaucratic procedures and institutional weaknesses, has been inconveniencing to businessmen.

"With a new system in place, the duration of clearing a consignment at the port would be reduced from weeks to just a single day, and this would reduce the costs that importers incur at the port when their consignments are delayed for long periods," she said.

Mrs Namu said that the Customs Reforms and Modernisation project (CRM) would be carried out in phases, and would eventually replace the old mode of clearing goods at the port as is stipulated by the KPA.

She said that the project is aimed at enhancing revenue collection, review of business processes for quality service delivery, and promotion of better relationships with the clearing and forwarding sector players.