An Egyptian national shared her troubling experience at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, claiming to have been disrespected by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) staff.
Dina Sherif, Executive Director at the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship, expressed dismay over the charges imposed on her personal items in transit.
In her statement, Sherif recounted having read about the stringent policies faced by travelers in Kenya but had not experienced them firsthand until her arrival.
“I once read Efosa Ojomo’s account of his experience at Nairobi airport. At the time, I was grateful Egypt no longer behaved similarly.
However, upon landing in Nairobi, I encountered an even harsher situation,” she wrote.
Sherif stated she was carrying 15 books, 20 t-shirts, and some MIT caps, initially being asked to pay shs 155,640.
This amount was subsequently reduced to shs 123,215 and then to shs 103,760.
Her frustration lay in the customs officers’ inability to explain how they calculated these charges.
The items lacked price tags, and Sherif questioned the arbitrary valuations assigned by KRA officials.
She also alleged disrespectful treatment, recounting that they called her and her colleague “idiots” and confiscated her colleague’s passport until payment was agreed upon.
Despite agreeing to pay, Sherif claimed further delays occurred due to system issues, prolonging her airport stay after a lengthy journey.
“After consenting to the payment, it took an hour to generate a receipt.
The credit card system was down, and after seven payment attempts, they returned our passport but kept our belongings.
This ordeal added five hours at the airport after a 22-hour journey. Kenya, I expected better,” Sherif lamented.
CNN correspondent Larry Madowo echoed her sentiments, highlighting similar experiences at the airport.
“Kenya continues to extort and harass visitors at the airport, now with mandatory phone IMEI registration. JKIA is already challenging, and KRA is making it worse,” Madowo alleged.
In response, the Kenya Revenue Authority acknowledged service delivery delays at JKIA and issued an apology for the inconvenience experienced.
“KRA sincerely apologizes to all affected by the service delay and values the feedback to improve our processes.
We are committed to learning and better serving all passengers entering our beloved Kenya. Our senior teams are investigating the matter to find an amicable resolution,” the Authority assured.
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