Staff Writer
A backlog of commercial trucks travelling from Namibia into Zambia has caused severe congestion at the Katima Mulilo Border Post after drivers arrived without mandatory customs documentation, the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) said.
NamRA has revealed that trucks were being held on the Namibian side of the border because they did not have completed CE1 forms and the required pre-alert documents to enter Zambia’s customs control area.
The missing documentation has resulted in trucks parking along the transit route while awaiting clearance, contributing to congestion around the border post.
NamRA said its officials continued processing and clearing trucks departing Namibia while engaging Zambian authorities and local stakeholders to resolve the backlog and improve traffic flow.
The agency urged exporters, clearing agents and transport companies to ensure that all required CE1 forms and pre-alert documentation are completed before dispatching trucks to the border.
It also called on truck drivers to comply with road traffic and parking regulations along the highway and within the neutral buffer zone between Namibia and Zambia.
NamRA said compliance with these rules was necessary to ensure that trucks that had completed the clearance process could continue passing through the border safely.
On the other hand, The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has announced that it has introduced mandatory advance cargo information requirements for all international trade stakeholders transporting goods into or through Zambia, with non-compliance expected to cause border clearance delays and possible penalties.
The policy took effect on 1 July 2026 and requires clearing agents, freight forwarders, transporters and importers to submit cargo details by email before goods arrive at designated ports of entry.
The authority said the measure is intended to improve customs risk management, speed up advance cargo processing, facilitate regional trade and strengthen compliance with national customs procedures.
Under the new procedures, operators must complete all mandatory fields on the official CE1 form before converting the document to PDF and emailing it to the designated border post address.
The submission must be made when registering the bill of entry or before the truck physically arrives at the border.
The ZRA has also prescribed a specific format for email subject lines. Submissions must include the vehicle registration number, trailer registration number, border post and date of submission.
Transporters must retain proof that the email was sent and produce it to customs officers at the port of entry when requested.
The authority has urged all affected stakeholders to comply with the requirements to avoid disruptions to cargo movement.
Failure to submit the required documentation in advance could result in delays at border checkpoints and financial or legal penalties under the Customs and Excise Act.
