Athletics Kenya has cleared the remaining two bags of training shoes that had been held by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi from Tuesday 15th at 10pm.
The two bags were held by KRA who were demanding Tax of Kshs 19,000 per shoes which was within its mandate to charge custom duty, according to the East African Community Customs management ACT.
Athletics Kenya Youth Chairman Barnabas Korir, who went for the rescue of the four bags that included Joyciline Jepkosgei, said that they had formerly wrote to the former Cabinet Secretary of Sports Ababu Namwamba to intervene on the matter and give a waiver but their request was turned down by Treasury.
However, through local arrangement, if the athlete is to come back with their shoes or goods from their kit sponsors and are of personal use, he is supposed to inform AK to organise for an exemption letter early enough.
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“We wrote to the KRA officials with supporting documents and we are happy that finally the two remaining bags that belong to the World 10,000m silver medallist, Daniel Simiu Ebenyo have been released and as we talk they are on their way to him,” said Korir.
Athletics Kenya has asked all the athletes to inform the Federation in advance and also declare their goods to be able to get an exemption letter from Treasury and the Ministry of Sports.
“Lately, we have made arrangements that any athlete bringing shoes will seek a letter from Athletics Kenya as a support document which works better for quick and easier clearance, ” Said Korir, who is also the AK Nairobi branch chairman and also the AK executive member.
When KRA released Jepkosgei, bags, they held Ebenyo’s bags, for further scrutiny to establish why the bag labels had the name of his Athlete Representative Lee-Roy Newton who is based in South Africa and not his.
