The moment you send a parcel through Uber, Bolt, Glovo, or Little in the future, the Government may access information about the sender, recipient, and declared contents of the package.
New regulations from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) mandate that app-based courier platforms record and verify sender and recipient details, capture parcel information, and maintain records accessible to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and law enforcement upon request.
These requirements will take effect on September 20, 2026, potentially transforming how Kenyans utilize ride-hailing apps for parcel delivery, especially as online sellers increasingly depend on digital platforms to reach their customers.
Courier operators must screen and verify parcels without opening them as a standard practice. However, officials may open a parcel if there is suspicion of prohibited goods or if ordered by a revenue official or KRA.
The CA’s licensing conditions specify that operators must implement mechanisms allowing senders to declare parcel contents and enabling courier agents or licensees to verify those contents.
“The licensee shall establish and maintain mechanisms to capture and verify the details of the sender and recipient of a postal article, allowing senders to declare the contents of a postal article and enabling courier agents or requesting licensees to verify those contents,” states the regulator.
It’s essential to clarify that while authorities can access parcel records, this does not imply that every parcel will be routinely opened and inspected.
What information will Uber and Bolt document?
Under the new courier licensing framework, platforms must maintain records for all postal articles processed through their systems.
“The licensee shall maintain records of all postal articles that it has handled and make such records available to the Authority or any competent government agency upon request,” states the CA notice.
This means that each digital courier transaction will generate a record linking the parcel to the sender, recipient, and declared contents.
This initiative aligns with the Government’s goal of leveraging digital data to combat illicit trade and enhance tax compliance, particularly as commerce increasingly shifts from physical stores to online channels.
Why is KRA focusing on app-based parcels?
Online traders are increasingly using platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, with delivery riders serving as the final link between sellers and customers.
The new regulations provide authorities with a structured method to gather information about parcels moving through this expanding delivery network.
This framework also aims to prevent platforms from being used to transport prohibited items, including drugs and firearms.
International courier companies like DHL and FedEx utilize screening technologies, including X-ray systems, to identify weapons, explosives, and other banned goods.
Riders will have the authority to refuse packages that appear unsafe or suspicious, returning them to the sender and reporting them to the police.
Additionally, courier platforms must prominently display lists of prohibited items at their outlets and on their platforms.
Uber and Glovo already ban the delivery of items such as weapons, ammunition, stolen goods, cannabis, and certain pharmaceutical products. Bolt imposes further restrictions, including a ban on items valued above Ksh15,000.
The new CA framework formalizes these responsibilities under a dedicated licensing regime for digital courier services.
What does this mean for online sellers?
For online businesses, these changes will enhance the traceability of app-based deliveries.
Sellers must accurately declare parcel contents, as false declarations or failure to declare contents may lead to consequences.
The regulations also introduce customer protections. Courier firms must compensate customers for lost, delayed, or damaged goods if a valid complaint is filed within 90 days.
However, compensation will not apply in cases involving the delivery of prohibited goods, undeclared contents, or false declarations by the sender or recipient.
Customers will also have the ability to verify the identity of riders handling their parcels, while courier platforms must track parcels in real time until delivery.
Uber seeks a national courier license
These changes coincide with ride-hailing companies intensifying their efforts in Kenya’s delivery market.
Uber has applied for a national courier operator license, allowing it to collect, transport, and deliver parcels nationwide, positioning it against established courier services like the Postal Corporation of Kenya.
The CA has introduced a separate 10-year Courier Hailing Service Provider license for digital platforms offering courier services, whether using their own vehicles or outsourcing delivery to motorcycles and other transport operators.
Platforms will incur a Ksh5,000 application fee, an initial license fee of Ksh100,000, and an annual operating fee of Ksh100,000 or 0.4 percent of gross annual turnover, whichever is greater. They will also pay a universal service levy equivalent to 0.5 percent of annual gross turnover.
For everyday users, the most significant change is clear: an Uber or Bolt parcel is no longer just a package handed to a rider. Under the new CA regulations, each transaction must be documented, its contents declared, and records made available to authorities upon lawful request.
