- KRA will phase out its cargo tracking seals by October 26.
- Businesses will source new seals from 15 approved private vendors.
- The change aims to reduce seal shortages, port delays and congestion.
Businesses handling goods under customs control now have until October 26, 2026, to prepare for a new system in which cargo tracking seals are sourced from approved private vendors, according to a KRA notice issued on September 11.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is winding down its Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS) seals, which it has owned and issued directly since the programme began. In their place, the authority is rolling out what it calls a Multi-Vendor, User-Owned Seals model, covering both dry-cargo e-seals and wet-cargo e-fuel seals.
Rather than collecting devices from a government store, importers, exporters, clearing and forwarding agents, transporters and bonded warehouse operators will now pick from a list of vetted private suppliers and deal with them directly.
This overhaul did not emerge overnight. KRA first floated the idea in a notice dated January 30, 2026, citing the need to modernise cargo monitoring in step with rising trade volumes. A public engagement session followed in early February, after which the authority invited companies in March to apply for pre-qualification as seal suppliers.
Those selected are expected to fund, install and maintain their own equipment under a self-financing arrangement, while remaining answerable to KRA for how well the devices perform. Approval under the framework runs for an initial two years, subject to periodic review.
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That vetting process has now produced 15 approved vendors cleared to handle electronic monitoring for goods under customs control. Each will operate under a private commercial contract with the businesses that choose to use their services, giving companies room to negotiate pricing and terms rather than relying on a single state supplier.
The change responds directly to years of complaints from transporters and cargo agents over seal shortages, which often meant long queues and expensive delays, particularly around the Port of Mombasa. By opening the market to competing vendors, KRA hopes to widen seal availability and shorten turnaround times, easing congestion at the port in the process.
KRA-owned seals will be phased out gradually between now and October 26. Once that deadline passes, every consignment moving under customs control will rely exclusively on devices supplied by the newly approved vendors.
Businesses can find the full list of approved suppliers on KRA’s website, at the Cargo Monitoring Unit in Times Tower, or through other Customs offices, and have been encouraged to begin onboarding with a preferred vendor well ahead of the cutoff.
By Benedict Aoya
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