Race against time in construction of Mama Ngina waterfront to host Mashujaa Day

Tourism CS Najib Balala and Interior Principal Secretary and Dr. Karanja Kibicho on a tour of the Mama Ngina Drive Rehabilitation works which is on going by Suhufi Construction Company at a cost of Sh460 million. The work was expected to end by June but since the Mashujaa Day will be held here, the project has been extended upto August. [Gideon Maundu/Standard].

Mama Ngina Waterfront Park, which is undergoing renovations, will be ready mid next month, the Government has said.

Tourism CS Najib Balala said the technical committee appointed to oversee the park's refurbishment was working round the clock to ensure it was ready to host this year's Mashujaa Day celebrations on October 20.

Hosting the celebrations at the park will give the Kenya Navy a unique opportunity to showcase their skills and talents in the water at the Kilindini channel.

Mr Balala said the Sh460 million project is already 76 per cent complete. 

The park had been scheduled to be ready by end of June but redesigning it to include the presidential square led to delays, Balala said.

On Thursday, the National Celebrations Committee toured the site to assess progress.

The team sought to dispel fears the project, which is near the Likoni crossing channel, will not be ready to host the celebrations.

Handed over

“The project will be handed over to the national celebrations committee on August 15 to enable it to start to preparations for Mashujaa Day celebrations,” said the CS.

Balala and Interior and Co-ordination of National Government PS Karanja Kibicho, who lead the committee, said they were satisfied with the progress.

“We are delighted that we will host the celebrations at the new facility,” Mr Kibicho said, adding that all coastal counties would be given a chance to showcase culture and talent.

Mombasa will be the fifth county to host national celebrations traditionally held in the capital, Nairobi. Other counties that have so far hosted such national events are Kakamega, Nakuru, Machakos and Narok.

The team toured the facility a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta's visit to assess renovations he commissioned in January. Uhuru noted that the project would restore the glory of Mombasa as a leading tourist destination.