Deputy President William Ruto has promised to return major port operations to Mombasa from Naivasha and Nairobi in a bid to end economic deprivation facing local communities in the Coast.
Speaking during the Kenya Kwanza Economic Forum in Mombasa, the DP said he will reverse the changes that were implemented over the use of the Standard Gauge Railway so that locals can het back their jobs.
“We have agreed with the leaders from the Coast. We will return all the port operations that were taken to Nairobi and Naivasha so that the youth can get employment,” said DP Ruto.
President Uhuru Kenyatta okayed the changes arguing that it reduced the logistics cost and boosted regional connectivity and integration and economic growth of Kenya’s inland.
Following the move, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) started clearing transit cargo from the Port of Mombasa to the Naivasha Inland Container depot (NICD).
This followed a a virtual meeting by East African Community (EAC) heads of state on 12th May, 2020 between President Paul Kagame(Rwanda), Yoweri Museveni( Uganda) and Salvar Maryardit Kiir of South Sudan and Uhuru.
The Head of States agreed that all transit cargo containers transported on SGR will be armed only at the ICD in Naivasha to be tracked through the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System.
The virtual meeting resolved all transit cargo destined for Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan will be transported either on the SGR for clearance at the Inland Container Depot in Naivasha or metre gauge to Tororo/Kampala.
