New regulations by the Kenya Forest Service are bound to raise the cost of acquiring movement permits for all businesses and individual timber traders.
The fee for a single transport permit has increased more than twelvefold, from the previous Sh. 2,000 to Sh. 25,570, as of July 13, 2024, according to a July 10, 2024, notice.
Here is the break out of the new charges:
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- Consignment Fees: Sh. 20,000
- Value Added Tax: 16% of Sh20,000, which comes to Sh. 3,200
- Movement Permit Fee: Sh. 2,000 plus VAT of Sh. 320
- Service Transaction Fee: Sh. 50 when making payments on eCitizen platform
All the above fees are payable via the eCitizen platform. In addition, the government charges Sh. 30 per bag of charcoal transported plus 16% VAT.
Kenya Forest Service requirements, application process, salaries
Any person moving charcoal bags on the eCitizen platform will be charged a Sh. 50 transaction fee. The selling of non-wood forest products shall be allowed upon the payment of a prescribed fee of Sh. 2 plus 16% VAT, in addition to the eCitizen transaction fees
This comes after the Kenya Forest Service’s ban on animal grazing in some areas and introduced zoning.
Forest zonation and mapping are the new guidelines to be followed in identifying particular forest areas suitable for grazing, as indicated in the Participatory Management Plans