Government pledges to revamp ferry services and create 6,000 jobs in five years

The Government has announced plans to restructure the Kenya National Shipping Line (KNSL).

It also promised to create a transshipment hub at the Port of Mombasa to generate 6,000 jobs in five years.

Addressing the media at State House Mombasa yesterday, President Uhuru Kenyatta's spokesman Manoah Esipisu said negotiations were underway with a partner to bring the ideas to fruition through the Blue Economy Committee.

Mr Esipisu said negotiations were at an advanced stage for the exit of foreign stakeholders, who have expressed desire to cease working with KNSL, and hence a strategic plan was in place to restructure the parastatal.

"Negotiations have focused on the partner committing to create a transshipment hub at the Port of Mombasa. The above will open up and create an average of 3,000 job opportunities for youth in the first year and, thereafter, progressively increase to 6,000 in five years," he said.

He said President Kenyatta will today launch the resumption of Mtongwe Ferry Services crossing, launch the Samburu-Kinango road and the Mariakani–Bamba road.

"He will also inspect progress of the construction of the Moi Airport–Changamwe Road, which is under construction," the spokesman said.

Esipisu explained that out of the 270 people who died in the Mtongwe ferry accident in 1994, the families of 262 of them have already been compensated.

"The Kenya Ferry Services is in the process of identifying the families of the remaining eight so that they can also be compensated," he said.

The resumption of the Mtongwe ferry operations follows the deployment of Mv Likoni to the channel.

The Mtongwe Ferry Service has been on and off since the ferry disaster.

It was suspended in 2011 to allow for repair of the jetties and also owing to a shortage of vessels.

Mr Esipisu noted that the Jubilee administration was also set to implement the Mzima II water project in the next financial year at a cost of Sh35 billion.