Improving Customs Transit Systems
In the Islamic Countries
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4.3.1.4 Uganda legal framework at the national and regional levels
Republic of Uganda Customs Code - the Uganda Revenue Act came into force in September
1991, which is not in compliance with the EAEU Customs Code. The Republic of Uganda has
enforced the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004 Revised Edition 2009.
In 2005, Uganda was one of the initiators for creation of the Customs Union, defined in Article
75 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community (the first Regional
Integration milestone and critical foundation of the EAC.
The EAC MS agreed to establish free trade (or zero duty imposed) on goods and services
amongst themselves and agreed on a Common External Tariff (CET), whereby imports from
countries outside the EAC zone are subjected to the same tariff when sold to any EAC Partner
State.
4.3.1.5 Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System
In 2014, the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RRECTS) was funded by the UK
Department for International Development (DFID) through TradeMark East Africa (TMEA). The
RECTS is one of the postulates of COMESA and EAC integration agenda - Customs co-operation.
The RECTS is a web-based system used to monitor transit cargo in near real-time, thus reducing
transit time, enhance cargo safety, and help traders to predict the arrival of goods better.
In Uganda, where the RECTS is in use since 2014, it reportedly helped traders cut the time
required to transport cargo from entry border points (Kenya’s Malaba and Busia in Uganda)
from six days to one day and a half, subsequently pushing down transport costs.
The system helped Ugandan Revenue Authority to eliminate the need for customs escorts and
reduced the transit time from three to four days to a one day, effectively decreasing the transport
costs of about 400 -500 USD.
4.3.1.6 Revenue Authorities Digital Data Exchange (RADDEx) system
Uganda, as a member of the East African Community (EAC), has shared export/re-export and
transit information bilaterally with other EAC members through the Revenue Authorities Digital
Data Exchange (RADDEx) system. Under the system, the Customs officers in Uganda may
retrieve data from the system where necessary for targeting and profiling the goods prior to
arrival, i.e., a “pull” system. They may reconcile the retrieved data with the corresponding
electronic declarations lodged at the Customs offices. Registered clearing agents in Uganda are
also able to access information in the system. The EAC members have been developing a single
regional system called RADDEx 2.0 by harmonizing the existing bilateral information-sharing
systems (USITC, 2012). It was reported that the RADDEx system covered 95% of the transit
goods moving from the Mombasa seaport, Kenya to Kampala, Uganda in 2009. The average time