MP Nassir leads SGR debate in assembly

A report of the National Assembly’s Hansard shows that Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir has dominated debate on the disputed implementation of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) freight services and proposed restructure of Mombasa port services.

The August 11 report shows besides the Mvita MP, Jomvu MP Badi Twalib, Kisauni’s Ali Mbogo, Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe) and Mishi Mboko (Likoni) also vigorously defended Coast interests in these matters between May and August.

The report, “Contributions by Mombasa MPs on Standard Gauge Railway and Port Privatisation” is signed by Sera Kioko on behalf of the Clerk of the National Assembly.

Nyali MP Mohamed Ali and Mombasa County MP Asha Hussein are, interestingly, missing among the debaters who prodded the Department Committee on Transport on the subjects.

The two also don’t appear on the plenary debate on proposed amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act.

The suspended order by the Transport ministry to transport all transit cargo by SGR to the inland port in Naivasha and amendment to the Merchant Shipping Act has caused tension in Coast in general, and Mombasa in particular.

Through the amendment, the government intended to enter a deal with Maersk - a leading shipping line - to operate the Japanese funded Container Terminal 2 at the Mombasa port, a decision opposed by the Dock Workers Union, civil societies and Mombasa MPs.

Critics fear that privatisation of the terminal and the SGR order would “rob the coast of massive jobs.

The Mvita MP was the most vocal opponent of the SGR order and attempt to lease out Terminal 2.

Some civil society agencies equally staged protests in Mombasa opposing the twin issues.