Digital economy blueprint

5.6.3 Digital Logistics Infrastructure

A well-functioning trade logistics environment and 

services are vital for achieving e-commerce success, 

domestically as well as internationally. An effective 

postal and courier system is crucial to the develop-

ment of e-commerce and the digital economy. The 

Government recognizes that all citizens have a right 

to access basic postal services and will ensure that the 

country has a vibrant and efficient postal and courier 

sector across physical, electronic and financial plat-

forms. 

Postal and courier networks will be used to deliver 

e-services  to  citizens  and  the  development  and  es-

tablishment of the National Addressing System will 

be accelerated with the aim of improving access to 

individuals and businesses as we transition from the 

current Postal to Physical addressing system. 

Physical addressing systems remain underdeveloped 

in particularly outside urban areas, making it difficult 

to efficiently deliver packages transacted via e-com-

merce platform. Dealing with this issue requires a 

multi-pronged approach, including improving road 

infrastructure, developing forward-looking postal ser-

vice strategies and increasing the capacity of national 

postal services and private sector couriers. There is an 

opportunity for the development of e-commerce de-

livery solutions that has potential to disrupt the eco-

system. Private enterprises are beginning to develop 

innovative package delivery solutions that serve even 

the rural areas. 

Postal services and express carriers play a fundamen-

tal role in this optimization, as well as the integration 

of cross-border deliveries with Customs procedures 

and the payment of duty and taxes. In order to elim-

inate challenges related to processing of import and 

export cargo documentation that have impacted on 

Kenya’s business climate and global competitiveness, 

these services remain a key factor in the Govern-

ment’s transformative agenda and were a key mile-

stone which was achieved was achieved in the roll out 

of a Single Window System. This is an online cargo 

clearance platform known in Kenya as the Kenya Tra-

deNet System that was launched in Nairobi in May 

2014 during the regional Heads of State Summit host-

ed by President Uhuru Kenyatta. Kenya Trade Net-

work Agency (KenTrade) is the state agency mandat-

ed to implement and manage this complex and cross 

cutting project.