Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director William Ruto has flown to Uganda and Rwanda to push for the adoption of the Kargo Pay application, which has been in operation for less than a year.
The application was launched last year in July in KPA's efforts to phase out the credit ledger payment in preference for the cash system.
Ruto travelled to the transit markets to engage with customers and stakeholders while promoting awareness and adoption of the Authority's online payment platform.
The KPA CEO first visited Uganda where he noted that the trip was successful and the response to the system was largely positive. He is currently in Rwanda advocating for the same.
"The Kargo pay application, introduced in Kenya in mid-August 2023, has now been extended to Uganda and Rwanda, marking a significant milestone in the modernisation of payment processes within the region," read a statement from KPA in part.
"One of the key advantages of Kargo pay highlighted by Captain Ruto is the ability to improve the accuracy and timeliness of collections by enabling customers to make direct payments from their bank accounts 24/7 as soon as invoices are issued."
When it was launched, traders from Uganda hailed it as a cutting-edge electronic payment system set to revolutionise the efficiency and settlement of port charges.
The Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) noted that Kargo Pay was poised to improve efficiency in the payment system. The ledger system required some of the traders to move huge sums of money while the system was too slow in clearing the goods.
"This has been a big threat to our lives because you just never know who knows about the money you are carrying," observed KACITA Chairman Thaddeus Musoke.
"Others have been moving the money through the bands and even then, it has been inconveniencing."
Through Kargo Pay, traders now have the option to make payments through bank cards or mobile money options. Clearing is done instantaneously soon after.
The app furnishes the traders with business statements afterwards.
