The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has given importers and owners of uncollected goods 30 days to clear their consignments from customs warehouses before they are disposed of through public auction.
In a notice published on Friday, November 6, the taxman listed thousands of items held at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot (ICD) and other customs facilities across the country.
At Naivasha ICD, KRA listed 1,472 packages of mineral fibre ceiling materials and ceiling grids. The owners have been asked to complete the required customs procedures and remove the goods within 30 days.
KRA warned that any consignments left at the depot after the deadline would be treated as abandoned and could be sold at an auction scheduled for December 28 to 31, 2026.
Other goods listed include several consignments of ethanol held at the Eldoret Customs Warehouse. They comprise 54 drums containing 250 litres each, alongside other batches of 125, 32, 35 and 32 drums.
At the Eldoret International Airport Customs Warehouse, the authority listed 430 used smartphones, 40 additional smartphones, five laptops, a piano, 49 Plantronics Blackwire earphones and 320 assorted perfumes.
The Nakuru Customs Warehouse also has 927 cartons of modern tiles and 125 bags of sugar awaiting collection.
At the Lodwar Customs Station Warehouse, KRA listed 665 empty beer crates spread across four consignments. Some of the crates have been held at the facility since April 2022.
The authority has scheduled the inspection of the goods for December 23 and 24, allowing interested buyers to visit the respective warehouses during working hours.
The auction will run for four days, with bidders expected to submit their offers through KRA’s online auction platform.
Some of the consignments have remained in customs warehouses for more than four years.
Under Section 42 of the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004, goods left uncollected in customs warehouses can be auctioned after the owners are issued with a 30-day notice to clear them.
KRA can also sell goods where importers have failed to pay the required duties and taxes. Perishable goods and animals held in customs warehouses may be disposed of without waiting for the usual notice period.
