Imported vehicles’ port coming soon

By Patrick Beja

Mombasa, Kenya: Deputy President William Ruto has announced the Government will construct a port in Mombasa for imported vehicles.

Ruto said the Government is in the process of identifying 500 acres of land at Mazeras town for establishment of the multimillion shilling dry port for imported vehicles mainly from Japan.

“We have agreed with exporters in Japan that instead of taking their vehicles to Dubai free port, they should bring them to Mombasa,” Ruto said.

Ruto further told Mombasa County leaders that the national government will soon hold a special bilateral meeting with Mombasa County government to discuss various development projects that include infrastructure and congestion of the road from Mombasa International Airport.

“We want to make the entry to Mombasa more attractive. We are determined to clear congestion,” said Ruto, who was speaking during a meeting with county leaders at the weekend.

Ruto pledged that the Government will build a dual carriageway from the airport to Mombasa island in the next two years to ease traffic jams.

Free port

Present at the meeting were Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Senator Hassan Omar, Woman representative Mishi Juma Mboko, Nyali MP Awiti Bolo and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, among others.

Ruto noted President Uhuru Kenyatta’s intervention to clear cargo congestion at the port of Mombasa has borne fruit in the last one month as performance has improved.

“Improvement at the port in the last one month has not been seen in years,” Ruto said.

He added the Government was determined to make the port an attractive international competitive facility. Ruto said Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation Mohamed Adan was in the process of identifying firms for the Dongo-Kundu free port project. About Sh30 billion is set for the free port project.