KAMPALA –The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has urged clearing agents to support and ensure the business community’s compliance with the UNBS Imports Inspection and Clearance processes. This initiative aims to enhance service delivery and protect consumers from substandard products.
The call was made by UNBS Executive Director, Eng. James Kasigwa, during a meeting with executive members of the Uganda Clearing Industry and Forwarding Association (UCIFA) held today at the UNBS headquarters in Bweyogerere.
Eng. Kasigwa highlighted concerns from UNBS’s market surveillance operations, revealing that some imported goods covered under Compulsory Uganda Standards have been bypassing official UNBS inspection and clearance processes. These goods have been entering the market via entry points and bonded warehouses without the required UNBS Imports Clearance Certificate (ICC).
Circumventing the UNBS inspection exposes consumers to health and safety risks from substandard commodities. Eng. Kasigwa emphasized that this practice undermines the bureau’s mandate and contradicts its value proposition of fostering quality enterprises.
“Substandard goods unfairly outcompete locally produced quality products, which negatively impacts Uganda’s ten-fold growth strategy focused on export promotion, import substitution, and industrialisation,” Eng. Kasigwa said.
Mr. William Namutale, UCIFA’s national chairperson, underscored the critical role clearing agents play in customs clearance and called for closer collaboration between UCIFA and UNBS to promote and enforce quality standards.
“UCIFA serves as the vital link between UNBS and importers. Therefore, we urge UNBS to collaborate with us as strategic partners to facilitate fair trade and enhance compliance with quality and safety requirements,” Mr. Namutale stated.
In a bid to improve the efficiency of import inspections, UNBS has recently launched an advanced imports electronic portal (new e-Portal). This web-based system is integrated with Uganda Revenue Authority’s (URA) Asycuda World platform.
The new e-Portal is accessible through the UNBS website, the URA Asycuda World system, or directly via https://eportal.unbs.go.ug.
UNBS encourages all stakeholders, especially clearing agents, to embrace this digital system for smoother, faster, and more transparent import inspection and clearance procedures.
