CAUSES OF DELAY IN CLEARANCE OF GOODS AT THE PORT OF MOMBASA

Abstract

Purpose: The study was an investigation into the challenges facing clearing and forwarding activities at the port of Mombasa.Methodology: The study adopted an exploratory study design which was descriptive in nature. A population of 265 was used out of which a sample of 100 respondents was chosen. To select the 100 sampling units/respondents, the researcher used purposive sampling method.  The data was collected using questionnaires which had both open and closed ended questions.  The methods used in the analysis of the data were descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies, pie charts and cross-tabulation.Results: Findings in the study indicated that some of the challenges facing clearing and forwarding processes at the port of Mombasa included poor education and training of clearing agents, abandonment of goods by agents due to poor pricing, lack of automation, low level mechanization, bureaucratic processes from governmental agencies and poor road network which causes congestion. In conclusion, the research identified that the challenges were both human resource oriented (inadequately skilled workforce) as well as systemic (resulting from a failure in the coordination between the various players in the clearing system).Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: It was recommended in this study that the various players such as KRA, KPA, governmental agencies, importer/exporters, clearing agents among others should improve their individual processes and efficiency to enhance coordination and faster clearing. It was recommended that a further study should be carried out by both the KPA and the KRA management involving a larger population and sample to reflect the strategies that other major ports in the world have undertaken to enable them ease the congestion at their ports so that they find out what factors need to be implemented to fasten the clearance. Further study should also include stakeholders outside the clearing and importers fraternity such as the government, and the community as a whole.