Busia – Officials from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) have impounded two Kenyan registered trucks at Busia border for smuggling battery scrap from Uganda.
The trucks, which by press time were still parked at the One Stop Border Post at Busia (Kenya/Uganda) pending transfer to Kampala, were intercepted separately while carrying battery scrap smuggled from Uganda, a source from URA told LBS Newsday.
They are registered as; KBH 790Y/ZC 3629 and the other is KBQ413VZC2728 (Trailers).
It should be noted that the local battery manufacturing industry faces a looming collapse due to lack of raw materials as a result of smuggling of battery scrap into Kenya and Rwanda by reportedly a section of dealers.
This prompted the Ugandan government through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives last year to ban exportation of battery raw materials effective this financial year.
Despite the battery scrap export ban, dealers have continued to engage in smuggling the raw materials to the great lakes region from Uganda threatening the local manufacturers.
This was confirmed by the State Minister for Trade, Harriet Ntabazi, who noted that her team and other officials from the government were planning to go to Busia for inspection.
Ntabazi emphasized that the ban hasn’t been lifted on exporting battery scrap urging traders to desist from engaging in the vice.
According to players in the battery manufacturing industry, the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Co-operatives and also URA should act as the illegal smuggling of lead business is continuing to thrive across the Ugandan borders and may force closure of local producers.
A trader who spoke to us on condition of anonymity said the government should make an attempt to implement the ban which was made last year.
“Government should implement the ban on export of battery scrap because the decision is critical to safeguard jobs for Ugandans and grow the manufacturing sector”, noted the trader.
This is not the first time trucks smuggling battery scrap from Uganda are being impounded. Previously, other trucks were stopped at Kabale heading to Rwanda.
Uganda is not the only East African country that banned battery scrap export to protect her domestic manufactures as Kenya was the first one to issue such a directive. Outgoing Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta put a suspension on the export, the buying or selling of any battery scrap material until proper guidelines are put in place to regulate and protect Kenyan battery manufacturers.
Battery and glass are some of the few materials that can be recycled indefinitely and as a result, the greater majority of automotive batteries manufactured around the world are made using recycled lead.
The 2004 East African Community set a maximum penalty of $10,000 among those involved in smuggling.
Under the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004, smuggling attracts deterrent penalties, namely a five-year jail term or a fine equal to 50% of the dutiable value of the goods or both and forfeiture of the goods involved.
