Donated ARVs meant for Kenya taxed heavily by KRA forcing donors re-route consignment to west Africa

KPA and KRA ships back ARV free consignment.  PHOTO | BMS

ARV demand rises after a container donated by international donors for Kenya (KEMSA) re-routed to west Africa after KRA slammed a huge tax on the free donation to the government.

" ARVs were donated to Kenya freely by Donors and KRA with the Kumira kumira mind that they have demanded that they should be taxed before being offloaded. Guess what happened? They were shipped to West Africa. This is exactly how you complete a Journey. This should make you angry, " one of the angry beneficiaries said.

" The USAID proceeded to procure medicines worth USD35M and shipped them to KEMSA. The drugs landed in Mombasa sometimes in October 2019," the clearing agent said.

"Do you know what happened when the drugs landed at the Port of Mombasa? KRA slapped huge taxes on the drugs and we're shipped to a different destination in West Africa, " he added.

The government through the healthy Ministry, however, has dismissed the course for an alarm that the country lacks ARV saying already have ordered (bought) through a supplier some ARVS that will arrive at the beginning of February 2020.

Later, the same government advertised for a tender of supplying ARV to KEMSA.