Prime
Ugandan traders count losses as goods get held at Mombasa Port
Minister Kyambadde (Centre) meets with the complainants in November 2016. On her right is Kenyan Deputy Hign commissioner to Uganda Robert Ngesu explaining a point. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
- Ms Kyambadde met with the Kenyan Deputy High Commissioner to Uganda, Mr Robert Ngesu, in November last year, to address the harassment accusations by Ugandan traders against KPA and Kenyan clearing agents.
- GMK East Africa, Sinohydro and Lamack Hotels and Resorts. These narrated to the Minister the mistreatment, harassment and extortion they were subjected to at the hands of KPA authorities and clearing firms.
KAMPALA. Ugandan traders whose containers are still stuck at Mombasa Port have decried the delay in clearing their containers by Kenya Ports Authority.
Late last, a group of Ugandan traders filed a complaint with Interpol accusing the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Semelado Investments Ltd/Sharis Logistics and Cargo Hauliers Investments of making them incur losses of up to $137,000 and their containers at Mombasa port.
The three traders, Mr Uthman Kimera, Mr Robert Kisitu and Ms Diana Nasuna under LAMAR, a representative of Sinosolar International Uganda Limited, filed a complaint with Interpol and nine other institutions including the ministry of Trade, the ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Inspector-General of Police in Kenya, among others, on November 7.
In a phone interview with Daily Monitor yesterday, Mr Elly Womanya, the deputy director Interpol Uganda, said the investigations were being handled by their Kenyan counterparts Interpol Kenya. “The complainants were invited to make statements in Kenya and they have travelled to Kenya,” Mr Womanya said.
However, Ms Diana Nasuna, one of the complainants said they have not travelled to Kenya and are scared on going back there to make statements.
“Why can’t we make our statements from here, we cannot travel back to Mombasa because we are not certain of the outcomes,” she said.
Mr Uthman Kimera, however said they had been engaging Trade minister Amelia Kyambadde who had since referred them to the Kenya High Commission to Uganda because her several letters had not been responded to yet.
Meetings
Ms Kyambadde met with the Kenyan Deputy High Commissioner to Uganda, Mr Robert Ngesu, in November last year, to address the harassment accusations by Ugandan traders against KPA and Kenyan clearing agents.
Ms Kyambadde also met Uthman Kimera, Robert Kisitu and Diana Nasuna at the ministry later that month to ascertain their claims and status of the problem. In the meeting were other claimants including UNRA - Kaaya ltd case, Alimondo ltd- MS. GMK East Africa, Sinohydro and Lamack Hotels and Resorts. These narrated to the Minister the mistreatment, harassment and extortion they were subjected to at the hands of KPA authorities and clearing firms.
