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-   -   Customs at JKIA, Kenya (https://www.fodors.com/community/africa-and-the-middle-east/customs-at-jkia-kenya-1599526/)

mark2195 Dec 10th, 2017 03:28 PM

Customs at JKIA, Kenya
 
When traveling through Jomo Kenyatta Airport, Kenya customs officials accessed my small video camera at 30,000 shillings which is about 300 USD. As a tourist they insisted I pay or I would lose my camera. Also customs were assessing taxes up to 50% on US and foreign citizens bringing cash or donations to needy children. The officials told me when I leave the country I could apply for a refund for my camera from the Kenya Revenue Authority which turned out to be untrue. The customs officials were Mercy Mugambi #7551 and Christine A Oketch #8360.

BEWARE that you may have to pay if you have cameras--electronics in your possession. Shameful! Those who pay for an expensive safari are added an additional burden of taxes on their personal items such as cameras. Note: I posted this a few days ago but it was removed not sure why but this story is important so tourist know what to expect when traveling to Kenya.

michele_d Dec 10th, 2017 04:03 PM

Wow! Heading to Kenya in February. Not bringing expensive equipment but this is disheartening.

amyb Dec 10th, 2017 04:09 PM

Michele_d, take this post with a grain of salt. This is the second time it’s been posted, not sure what happened to the first one. However, Ive been through JKIA four times now, with a much more expensive camera than his $300 videocamera, and never been stopped, as have hundreds of thousands of other photographers, amateurs and professionals. I’ve met photogs who bring their entire luggage allowance full of camera gear, and never stopped or asked to pay anything.


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