KRA Announces Auctioning of Imports Stuck At JKIA

Businesses and individuals are set to lose hundreds of imported goods at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) warehouse following the collection lag.

This comes against the backdrop of a tough economic period where businesses are trying to keep afloat with the current economic pressures while individuals continue to record shrinking disposable income.

In a recent Notice, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) announced that it would be auctioning the uncollected goods 30 days after the publication of the notice, powers which have been granted to it by the East African Community Customs Management Act of 2004.

“Notice is given that unless the under-mentioned goods are entered and removed from the custody of the Customs Warehouse Keeper, Forodha JKIA within thirty (30) days from the date of this notice, they will be treated as abandoned and will be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of EACCMA 2004 including being sold by public auction,” the notice reads in part.

In the event that the owners fail to make the collection, the taxman has set the auction dates to be on July 28, 2025, July 29, 2025, July 30, 2025, July 31, 2025 and August 1 2025 through their public auction online portal.

“Interested buyers may view the goods at Customs Warehouses in JKIA, Forodha House on July 24, 2025, and July 25, 2025, during office hours,” the notice states.

Some of the notable businesses that are yet to collect their imports include Serena Hotel, which is yet to collect booklets-the hub united oil, which is said to have arrived in the country in May 2022, Marketing Society, Rivera Tech and Bowmans Kenya, among others.

Typically, importers may fail to collect their goods in the event of financial challenges, problems with the goods themselves, issues with exporters or delays in the clearance process, a factor which may impact the cost of the goods, making it hard for owners to collect.

Under the financial difficulties bracket, once a business becomes bankrupt and is unable to meet its financial obligations, it may be unable to collect its previously imported goods.

Higher taxes and other costs, such as storage costs, may lead to high costs to a point that the importer finds it economical to forgo.

This may also be fronted by the fluctuation in the exchange rate, which may devalue the goods or make them more expensive to clear.

On the other hand, if the goods are damaged or of poor quality, the importer may lose interest in them.

Additionally, the importers may lack relevant paperwork, permits or a wrong declaration at the customs.