The Border Management Secretariat (BMS) has relaunched the Lamu County Border Management Committee (BMC) at the Port of Lamu. The move comes after the operationalization of the 1st berth of the Port of Lamu, a facility officially commissioned by H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta in May, 2021.
Membership for the new look BMC will comprise officials from the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS), Port Health, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the National Police Service (NPS), National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Directorate of Immigration Services among others.
Speaking during the relaunch at the Port of Lamu, the Secretary to the Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee (BCOCC) and BMS, Mr. Kennedy Nyaiyo, said operations at the Port will now be streamlined as the different agencies making up the BMC embrace the multi-agency/whole-of-Government approach.
“We have seen positive results since agencies stopped operating in silos. These outcomes were borne from information and resource sharing,” Mr. Nyaiyo said.
“Collaboration will ensure the continued promotion of legitimate trade and travel at the Port of Lamu since it is a designated border point or point of entry and exit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the BMC chairperson, Mr. Azizi Abdul, welcomed the relaunch and the support from the BCOCC and the BMS. He said he’s looking forward to continually collaborating with fellow BMC members.
“Information and resource sharing among member agencies has really improved. We have also benefitted immensely from trainings afforded to us by the BCOCC,” Mr. Azizi said.
He added that the trainings will help continue addressing challenges and border threats like human trafficking, terrorism, contraband goods, forged travel documents and communicable diseases.
Mr. Azizi also cited different achievements which included joint boarding of marine vessels, combined searches of drifting vessels and destruction of contraband.
The number of BMCs at Kenya’s points of entry and exit (POEs)/border points are now at 27.
A BMC’s mandate includes: coordination of border operations at PoEs, implementation of BCOCC directives, convening BMC meetings fortnightly, submission of resultant minutes to the BMS and escalation of border issues to the BCOCC.
