KRA integrates AI to improve efficiency and security

Andrew Hinga (KNA)

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is enhancing its border control capacity in the fight against illicit trade.The initiative is also expected to protect local manufacturers from unfair competition by unscrupulous traders who dump smuggled goods into the local market.

KRA Chief Manager Customs and Border Control, Scanner Management Section, Albert Atambo said the Authority is exploring deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to manage its scanners at border points.

He said this would enable the Authority to strike the intricate balance between facilitating trade and protecting the interests of society by ensuring that illegal consignments, including weapons, on unaccustomed and undervalued goods are intercepted.

Atambo insists that the deployment of scanners at the Port of Mombasa tremendously reduced smuggling. The use of AI would give the Authority a new impetus in its border control and revenue collection initiatives, he said.

“We want to leverage technology to be at par with international standards to increase the compliance level. The integration of scanners to a centralized command centre in 2018 has seen aspects like unaccustomed goods decrease to an average of 1 per cent,” said Atambo.

The Chief Manager added that the Authority is on the path of fully revolutionizing the Customs and Border Control Division into a tech-driven division that would be non-intrusive with minimal human interaction, an automation move that will seal loopholes.

“The digital age has compelled us to move towards 'smart customs' that will see us fully dependent on technology. Once we acquired the i-scan technology, we integrated all operational scanners, and the result of that has borne fruit,” added Atambo.

KRA scans 100 per cent of all containerized cargo from the maritime ports and is working towards integrating all land borders with the i-scan systems to improve efficiency and improve on security.

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