“Users are advised to engage approved vendors for a smooth transition.”
— Kenya Revenue Authority, 16 October 2026
What happened
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has confirmed that the electronic seals it owns and operates under the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS) will stop working on 26 October 2026 for dry cargo and motor vehicles. In a public notice dated 16 October, KRA said that from that date, goods moving under customs control will be monitored only with tracking devices supplied by private vendors it has approved. Electronic fuel seals used on petroleum and other wet cargo are not switching off on the same day; KRA says they will be phased out progressively, without giving dates yet.
RECTS itself stays in place. What changes is who owns the seal. Under KRA’s new Multi-Vendor, User-Owned e-Seal Framework, importers, exporters, transporters, clearing agents and bonded warehouse operators must choose a vendor from KRA’s approved list and agree commercial terms with it, rather than relying on KRA-owned seals. KRA reportedly approved 15 vendors in September; the list is published on its website and is also available from its Cargo Monitoring Unit at Times Tower in Nairobi. KRA first announced the shift in January 2026, citing changing business needs and problems with seal availability and turnaround times. No fees have been published, as costs depend on each user’s agreement with its chosen vendor.
What this means for shippers
For cargo leaving Pakistan, the Gulf or Asia for Mombasa, the change bites after discharge, not before loading — but the planning has to start now. Containers that move inland under customs control, especially transit cargo heading on to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi or eastern DR Congo, will be tracked with a vendor-supplied device, so one has to be arranged before the box leaves the port or container freight station. If no one has lined up a vendor, the container can sit in the yard while storage and demurrage run. Consignees and their forwarders in Kenya should confirm this week which approved vendor they will use and who pays, and exporters should ask their buyers directly whether that is settled for shipments arriving on or after 26 October.
The seal change sits on top of Kenya’s other new controls. Since August, every containerised shipment to Kenya needs an Advance Cargo Declaration reference before it is shipped, and KRA now also expects an export declaration from the country of origin. In our experience, cargo is rarely held for one missing item; it is held when several small gaps stack up at the same time. So treat the Kenya ACD certificate, a clean commercial invoice and bill of lading, the export declaration and the inland tracking arrangement as one checklist, all agreed before the vessel loads.
Shippers of fuel and other liquids can keep using KRA’s e-fuel seals for now, but should watch for KRA’s phase-out dates. If you route cargo through Mombasa to several East and Central African markets, check each destination’s own tracking note too — DR Congo, for example, requires a FERI. If you are unsure what your next Kenya or transit shipment needs, contact HMG before booking and we will check the full document set with you.
Key points
- KRA-owned RECTS e-seals for dry cargo and motor vehicles stop working on 26 October 2026.
- After that date, cargo under customs control must be tracked with devices from KRA-approved private vendors, on commercial terms agreed by the user.
- Wet cargo e-fuel seals will be phased out progressively; no dates have been announced.
- KRA approved 15 vendors in September; the list is on KRA’s website and at its Cargo Monitoring Unit.
- The change adds to Kenya’s ACD and export declaration requirements, so all documents should be ready before loading.
Frequently asked questions
When do KRA’s own cargo tracking seals stop working?
KRA-owned electronic seals under RECTS stop operating for dry cargo and motor vehicles on 26 October 2026. Seals for petroleum and other wet cargo will be phased out later, on dates KRA has not yet set.
Who has to arrange the new electronic seal?
The party moving goods under customs control in Kenya — usually the importer, its clearing agent or the transporter — must engage a KRA-approved vendor and agree terms with it. Exporters should confirm with their buyer that this is arranged before shipping.
Does this replace the Kenya ACD?
No. The Advance Cargo Declaration is still required before containerised cargo is shipped to Kenya. The e-seal change only affects how cargo is tracked after it arrives and moves under customs control.
