Uganda Imports Hit By Kenya Rift

In January, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) collected Ush10.75 billion from car imports (new & used) compared to the average monthly revenue of Ush11.49 billion. Kenya is to blame as transport from the Mombasa seaport is restricted from civil unrest.

Uganda, not being on the coast, must import vehicles through either Kenya (Mombasa) or Tanzania (Dar-es Salaam). Importers prefer to go through Mombasa, which is considerably cheaper after road or rail transport into Uganda is added.

Importers also argue this isn’t the only thing affecting their sales, but also the high taxes imposed. Car imports is one of the largest sources of revenue for the Uganda government.

Luckily for importers, tensions in Kenya are starting to loosen, allowing trade to return to previous levels. Japanese exporters can sigh relief that this dip in trade is only temporary.

Tags: car, Dar-es Salaam, Import, japan, japanese, Kenya, Mombasa, Uganda, used, vehicle