At the Scheduling Conference two documents were by consent of both parties received as plaintiff exhibits. These were Receipt No. 6674 issued by Rapid Shipping and Freight (U) Ltd, (the defendant), exhibit P1, and the Combined Transport Bill of Lading HBL No. RFI SF 70032 E issued by Rapid Freight International L.L.C. exhibit P2.

On the basis of the two exhibits Mr. Noah Mwesigwa, counsel for the defendant, raised a preliminary objection that the plaintiff has no cause of action against the defendant. Counsel argued that exhibit P2 is a Bill of Lading and as such basically the parent contract document in any carriage contract. That the Bill of Lading was issued by Rapid Freight International LLC. That the defendant was only a notifying party and a delivery agent. That exhibit P1, a receipt issued by the defendant was for payment for freight charges from Dubai to Busia. Counsel contends that the receipt was in respect of the Bill of Lading issued by Rapid Freight International LLC, on which the defendant is indicated merely as notifying party and / or delivery agent. Further counsel argued that the defendant, as an agent of a disclosed principle, Rapid Freight International LLC, who had issued the Bill of Lading and shipper cannot be held liable. That the proper party should be Rapid Freight International LLC. Counsel cited Kenfreight (U) Ltd Vs Leather Industries (U) Ltd HCCS. No. 119 of 2000, Pheneas Agaba Vs Swift Freight HCCS No. 1000 of 1999, Equinox Global Trading Vs Panaphina HCCS No. 570 of 1999.

On the otherhand Mr. Adibango, Counsel for the plaintiff, submitted that the plaint disclosed a cause of action in compliance with Order 7 rule 1 (e) of the Civil Procedure Rules. Counsel relied on Auto Garage & Others Vs Motokov (No 3) (1971) EA 514. He argued that in the plaint the plaintiff discloses that he agreed with and contracted the defendant to clear the plaintiff’s goods from Mombasa, transport and deliver them to the plaintiff at entry boarder point at Busia and for that a payment of US$ 2160 was made to the defendant who duly issued the receipt exhibit P1. He submitted that the plaint had sufficiently disclosed a cause of action against the defendant.

Order 7 rule 1 (e) of the Civil Procedure Rules states that a plaint shall contain facts constituting the cause of action and when it arose. Under rule 11 (a) of the same order a plaint shall be rejected where it does not disclose a cause of action. In Auto Garage Vs Motokov (above) Spy VP held that there are three essential elements to support a cause of action:
1.      

Counsel for the plaintiff contends that the plaint read together with exhibit P1 disclosed a cause of action against the defendant.

On the otherhand Counsel of the defendant contends that exhibit P1 cannot be divorced from exhibit P2, which both show that the transporter was Rapid Freight International LLC, for whom the defendant had received payment as agent of a disclosed principle.

In Kenfreight (U) Ltd Vs Leather Industries (U) Ltd (supra) Justice C. K. Byamugisha held that in CIF contracts the bill of lading constitute the contract of carriage. Exhibit P2 is a Combined Transport Bill of Lading issued by Rapid Freight International LL.C under Ref. HBL No. RFI SF 70052 E. On it is the following information, relevant for courts consideration:-

In Phenehas Agaba Vs Swift Freight International Ltd (supra) Justice Arach – Amoko found that the Air Way Bill was issued by Swift Freight International LLC of Dubai – UAE. The plaintiff was both the consignor and consignee. There was no reference at all to the Defendant, Swift Freight International Ltd, on the Airway Bill. She also found that under the law Swift Freight International LLC and Swift Freight International Ltd were different legal entities. Her Lordship held that the Airway Bill was prima facie evidence of the conclusion of the contract of carriage between the plaintiff and Swift Freight International LLC Dubai, and not the defendant. She further found that from the evidence on record it was apparent that the defendant was an agent of a disclosed principle and stated:-

The instant case is distinguishable from the Rhenehus Agaba and Equinox Grobal cases above. The decisions therein were based on the evidence adduced by both parties. In the instant case the issue is being considered at a preliminary level on the pleadings and documents exhibited in Court at the scheduling. Secondly the Bill of Lading only indicates the point of discharge which is Mombasa. It does not name a place of delivery. Busia which is pleaded as the point of delivery only appear on Exhibit P1, the receipt issued by the defendant.

In the circumstances I am of the considered view that the issue whether there is a contract between the plaintiff and the defendant cannot be properly adjudicated upon on the pleadings and the two exhibits without hearing evidence interparties. I therefore find that the pleadings disclose a cause of action against the defendant. The preliminary objection fails with costs to the plaintiff.