Nairobi — The National Police Service (NPS) has intensified efforts to streamline trade and transport along the Northern Corridor Transit Route by convening a high-level sensitisation forum on the management of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs).
The forum, held at the National Police Leadership Academy on Tuesday, brought together key government agencies and private sector players in the transport and logistics industry to explore solutions aimed at improving efficiency and reducing bottlenecks along Kenya's busiest trade route.
The Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service, Eliud Lagat, represented Inspector General Douglas Kanja at the meeting, which was led by Caroline Karugu, Principal Secretary in the State Department for East African Community Affairs.
Participants included representatives from the National Intelligence Service Joint Intelligence Centre, Kenya Ports Authority, State Departments for Internal Security and External Trade, as well as industry groups such as the Kenya Transporters Association and the Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association.
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Speaking on behalf of the Inspector General, Lagat reaffirmed the NPS's commitment to enhancing road safety, improving compliance, and supporting seamless movement of goods through coordinated enforcement efforts.
"He identified major challenges affecting the transport sector, including excessive checkpoints, road accidents, delays in inspections, cargo theft and diversion, and ICT system failures, "NPS said.
DIG Lagat stressed the need for lawful, efficient, and time-sensitive enforcement, warning that officers responsible for unnecessary delays would face disciplinary action.
On her part, Karugu highlighted the economic importance of the Northern Corridor, describing it as Kenya's "economic spine" and a vital link for landlocked countries within the East African Community.
She called for enhanced collaboration among stakeholders to reduce NTBs to regionally agreed levels while maintaining robust security standards.
Karugu also highlighted the need to address operational and resource gaps, strengthen measures to curb cargo theft, and restore the corridor's competitiveness as a secure and efficient trade route.
The engagement highlighted the importance of a multi-agency approach in tackling systemic challenges, enhancing coordination, and facilitating trade along the corridor.
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Also, in attendance were senior officials, including Commandant of Traffic Fredrick Ochieng, Commandant of the National Police Leadership Academy Mathiu Kainga, and Director of Northern Corridor Development Paul Gitau, among others.
