Overview 

The Lunga-Lunga OSBP (One Stop Border Post) is a border station between Kenya and Tanzania, with KRA (Kenya Revenue Authority) and Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) as lead agencies. It is the 2nd busiest border between Kenya and Tanzania after Namanga. Its construction was supported by development partners Trademark East Africa (TMEA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). After the commencement of operation at the OSBP, the estimated average time for cargo clearance reduced from 48 hours to less than 8 hours, and revenue grew by 51% in the 2021/2022 fiscal year despite the challenges that came with the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Lunga-Lunga OSBP has not been commissioned but plans are underway. This is being done in close collaboration with the EAC (East African Community) secretariat. Before the establishment of the OSBP, both Kenya and Tanzania were undertaking clearance and verification separately for both imports and exports and Kenya's clearance centre was around 5kms from the border leaving the distance as unmanned land. But after the operations of the OSBP started, it is now located at the border and brought several benefits to the local community. Some of these benefits include faster clearance of goods and cargo, better organization, improved security, better facilities, and infrastructure, improved multi-agency cooperation, and facilitation of small-scale cross-border traders through simplified procedures for low-value goods. 

For the OSBP to operate smoothly and facilitate trade, there are several enabling tools that ensure its implementation and full operation. This includes; The East African Community One Stop Border Posts Act, 2016, Physical infrastructure, Political goodwill, Constructive partnerships with the private sector, Border community collaboration, Joint border meetings, County Commissioner service delivery meetings and sensitization through stakeholders' meeting. The partner agencies at the border include KRA, Immigration, KEBS (Kenya Bureau of Standards), KEPHIS (Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service), Port Health, Veterinary Department, Kenya Fisheries Services, Anti-counterfeit Authority, and Agriculture and Food Authority, National Police Service, National Intelligence Service, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) and Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA). 

The management of the border is led by Border Management Committee (BMC) chaired by KRA and comprises all PGAs and security agencies and other law enforcement agencies that operate within the border. The BMC coordinates OSBP activities and it meets monthly and on a need basis. The PGAs hold stakeholders' meetings with cross-border traders on a quarterly basis. To handle emerging issues at the OSBP, Joint Border Committee involving Kenya and Tanzania conducts meetings on a quarterly basis. Multi-agency border patrol meetings are also done monthly with rotating lead agencies and joint inspections by all interested parties. 

Daily Capacity 

Lunga OSBP has a separate lane for private cars. Current Daily trucks capacity is 40 to 50. 

Customs Clearance 

In a customs clearance process, there are loads of documents to be verified and submitted, either electronically or physically with the consignment. This to help the concerned officials to calculate taxes and duties that are levied on the consignment that is ready to ship. The requirements include; Proforma, Customs packing list, COO (Chief Operating Officer) Certificate (Country of Origin), Customs Invoice, Shipping bill, Export license, Bill of lading, Bill of sight, Letter of credit, Bill of exchange, Export license and Health certificate. Unilateral bans on products, high fees by Agriculture and Food Authority-Kenya and trade information asymmetry stifle cross border business between Kenya and Tanzania via Lunga Lunga One-Stop Border Post.  

Some of the tariffs are (assuming each WFP (World Food Programme) truck loads 28,000 kg) 

For more information on customs in Kenya, please see the following links:  

https://www.eac.int/press-releases/142-customs/1276-eac-operationalizes-13-one-stop-border-posts 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17531055.2020.1768468 

Other Relevant Information 

Processes or procedures required to complete the crossing and approximate waiting time. 

1. Pre-clearance documentation; Contract a clearing agent. 

2. Obtaining Kenya Service release; requirements;  

• Submission of documents for verification 

• Verification of consignment 

• Paying for import permit 

• Obtaining Kenya Service release 

3. Obtaining Port Health Services release 

• Applying for import health certificate and generate e-slip. 

• Paying for import health certificate 

• Submission of clearance documents for verification 

• Verification of consignment 

• Obtaining import health certificate 

4. Obtaining KEBS release 

• Submit documents for verification. 

• Payment of destination inspection fees 

• Verification of consignment 

5. Obtaining KRA release 

• Obtaining exit note 

• Submission of clearance documents for verification 

• Verification of consignment 

• Obtaining KRA final release 

6. Physical release of consignment 

Time limit; 

Waiting time in queue: Max. 5mn 

Attention at counter: Max. 5mn 

For more information on processes or procedures required to complete the crossing and approximate waiting time Link;  

https://infotradekenya.go.ke/procedure/502/step/2543?l=en&embed=true&includeSearch=false 

KEBS Rates on IMPORTS FROM COUNTRIES WHERE PVOC (Pre-Export Verification of Conformity) CONTRACTORS ARE NOT PRESENT  

General goods and used motor vehicles being imported from countries where PVOC Contractors are not present (see clause 5.3 and 7.1) shall be subject to destination inspection upon payment of destination inspection fee equivalent to 0.6% of the approved Customs Value subject to minimum of USD (US Dollars) 265 and maximum of USD 2700 per used motor vehicle unit or consignment submitted for inspection. Testing fee is payable where testing is required to determine conformity. 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List.