Deputy president Rigathi Gachagua says the Kenya Kwanza administration has been able to fulfil its campaign pledge of restoring the vital operations to the port of Mombasa. He spoke at the official opening of the 2022 Mombasa international show on Thursday. The Deputy President noted that they had kept their word and that the port and the seaside city will gradually regain their previous vigour.
President William Ruto had pledged to restore Mombasa’s port operations if elected. Some port activities had been moved inland to Naivasha. On his first day in office in September, the President issued an executive order to put this pledge into effect.
“The president issued the order on the first day in office and I confirm the operations are now back in Mombasa,” DP Gachagua said. Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir also confirmed clearing and forwarding activities were back to the coastal city. “I had a meeting with port officials and I can confirm that indeed port operations are back in our city.
We are grateful to the Government for ensuring this happened,” he said. Local leaders had initially pushed the previous administration to overturn the initial decision concerning the port shifting port operations out of Mombasa, including the crucial clearing and forwarding activities which were moved to Naivasha but their efforts were to no avail.
Gachagua asserted that the Kenya Kwanza administration will always uphold the port’s status as a national resource that helps not just the coastal region but the entire country. He promised the residents of the coastal region that his administration will always be steadfast in defending their rights and those of other citizens.
“The port belongs to all Kenyans, not some few individuals. We thank the Kenya Ports of Authority Board of Directors for standing against attempts to fully transfer the operations,” the DP said.
The DP further noted that their administration was eager to cooperate with the locals as the leaders from the area had been given several high-level positions, including those of Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and major Parliamentary seats.
