Kenya Revenue Authority on Thursday November 2 responded to allegations of a tourist losing her wedding gown due to custom duty.
In a statement, KRA noted that the said tourist did not lose the gown as earlier reported in various social media platforms.
However, the tourist understood the custom rates , honored the obligation and was cleared by KRA officials to leave with the gown.
The value of her gown had exceeded $500 capped for items carried by travelers in line with the East African Custome laws thus she was forced to pay.
The taxman however apologized for the inconveniences caused to the tourist during the process.
Further KRA appealed to disgruntled Travellers to file their compliants to allow the authorities to address.
Here is KRA’s statement
“Our attention has been drawn to various social media posts regarding an incident involving a Kenyan Lady and a foreigner.
We empathize with the frustration and inconveniences such situaxtions may cause and reiterate that we do not condone any form of abuse or harassment by our officers.
In this specific incident, we wish to clarify the following:
We acknowledge the incident took place in September 2023.
The wedding dress in question was valued at $2000, which exceeded the allowable limit of $500 for duty-free items. According to the relevant customs laws, it was indeed subject to duty.
We are pleased to inform you that the couple, upon understanding the tax requirements, paid the necessary taxes and complied with the regulations. We are grateful for their cooperation.
KRA is responsible for implementing the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA) and other relevant tax laws.Â
As per the law, new items/goods up to the value of USD 500 for each traveller are exempted from import tax. We aim to uphold these regulations fairly and consistently for the benefit of our country and its citizens.
If you ever feel that you have been subjected to harassment or mistreatment by any of our officials, we encourage you to report the incident.”
