By NGUMBAO KITHI

Mombasa County Assembly has joined  calls for devolution of ferries and harbours.

In a press statement read by Tononoka Ward Representative Saad Faraj Ahmed, the MCAs claimed residents have never benefitted from the Mombasa port despite it being domiciled in the area.

Addressing 22 MCA in the committee room, Mr Faraj said the right of the people of Mombasa to the resource was guaranted under Schedule 4, Part 2 of the Constitution.

He said  the Constitution expressly gives Mombasa County Government the mandate to manage county transport systems within its jurisdiction, including the business at its ferries and the harbours.

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Faraj criticised remarks KPA Chairman  Danson Mungatana on Tuesday that  the port is national asset and cannot be managd by the county government, adding that the assertion negates the spirit of devolution.

The MCAs supported the county leadership proposal to take over KPA and promised  create a legislative framework to facilitate such a bid if called upon to do so. “Such an action is not futile as Mungatana claimed because it is within the confines of the law of the land,” he said.

They challenged the former Garsen MP to state what benefits had accrued to the people of Mombasa from the port despite it raking in a whopping Sh94 billion in the last four years alone.

Faraj said they were convinced that the county of Mombasa was better placed to run the entity.

He said it is within their powers to pass a law compelling transporters to pay upto 50 US dollars per tonne of cargo passing through the port to benefit residents.

 “We wish to reiterate our unwavering support for our Governor Hassan Ali Joho and will do everything possible within our powers as mandated by the law to support his endeavors,” he said.

On Wednesday evening, The National Alliance chairman for Mombasa Peterson Mittau opposed Joho’s proposal for the takeover of the port, saying it might open a floodgate of demands from other  mischievous county administrations.