Uhuru inspects Kisumu Port as launch date nears

Preparations for the August launch of several economic projects in Kisumu have gained momentum in the last few weeks with President Uhuru Kenyatta making another private inspection tour of the Kisumu Port Saturday, a day after Opposition leader Raila Odinga visited the site.

The President returned to Kisumu exactly three weeks after he toured the port in a low-key visit alongside Mr Odinga after attending the burial of Governor Anyang Nyong’o’s mother in Ratta, Seme, on June 14.

REHABILITATION

This time, however, the President was not accompanied by the African Union Envoy for Infrastructure and Development who travelled out of the country to Niamey, Niger on Friday night for the African Union Summit. Sources close to the former prime minister said he will be in Niger for three days.

Nation has established that the port rehabilitation being undertaken at a cost of Sh3 billion is being treated as urgent.

President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga want the rehabilitation works, which kicked off in May fast-tracked to meet the August 15 launch deadline, hence the constant inspection visits in recent days.

The rehabilitation is part of several major lakefront infrastructural projects, which are being revamped as part of the grand Sh14 billion government plan to jump-start the sleeping blue economy in the region.

The oil jetty, the construction of a ship assembly yard and a refurbished port are all part of efforts to jump-start the sleeping Kisumu economy.

Other projects feeding into the grand government economic package for the lakeside city include the revival of Kicomi, the SGR extension to city and the development of an industrial park.

TIGHT SECURITY

At the port, it has been a beehive of activity under increased tight security in recent weeks, with contractors working round-the-clock under strict instructions to ensure the works are complete on time.

Workers from the Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Railways, Kenya Navy and the National Youth Service were deployed to the port to help with the ongoing works.

The government plans to restore the port facility where big ships that plied Lake Victoria were manufactured. They include; SS Usoga, SS Nyanza, SS Ukerewe and MV Victoria.

The steel hull of the 1,000-tonne and 91-metre-long age old MV Uhuru cargo carrier is also expected to roar back to life as the dredging of the lake will make it possible for big ships to navigate.

A fortnight ago, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i also made a private visit to the port where he said Cabinet secretaries would make weekly visits to monitor progress.

He said the President was keen on seeing the port revived to recover its potential and restore its lost glory.

Sunday Nation has established that although good progress has been made at the ongoing rehabilitation works, those undertaking the projects are under pressure to conclude the works in good time to allow for the August launch.

PRIVATE VISIT

Regional presidents including Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Tanzania’s Magufuli, Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Felix Tshisekedi of DRC are expected to attend the launch.

Mr Kenyatta arrived in Kisumu at 2pm Saturday on his way from Tanzania where he had made a two-day-private visit to President John Magufuli at his Geita rural home.

He was received at Kisumu International Airport by Transport Cabinet Secretary Mr James Macharia, Defense CS Racheal Omamo, Education’s George Magoha, the port managers and several local leaders led by deputy governor Dr Mathews Owili and proceeded straight to to the Kisumu Pier which is undergoing rehabilitation works.

He had a brief meeting with the government officials at the airport before being driven in a civilian number plate vehicle as 10 others towed in his convoy.

Governor Nyong’o was not present and was on his way to Nairobi from an official trip to China.

As it has become the norm, the President’s lean motorcade joined the Busia-Kisumu highway and made its way to the port through Obote Road and Oginga Odinga Street while other motorists continued with their businesses uninterrupted. While at the port, he made a guided toured at the Kenya Marine School and the dry dock where the giant MV Uhuru is docked.

Sources said the President started the engine of MV Uhuru, which is one of East Africa's biggest cargo vessel that broke down in 2006.

Governor Nyong’o was not present and was on his way to Nairobi from an official trip to China.

As it has become the norm, the President’s lean motorcade joined the Busia-Kisumu highway and made its way to the port through Obote Road and Oginga Odinga Street while other motorists continued with their businesses uninterrupted. While at the port, he made a guided toured at the Kenya Marine School and the dry dock where the giant MV Uhuru is docked.

Sources said the President started the engine of MV Uhuru, which is one of East Africa's biggest cargo vessel that broke down in 2006. He also sailed in one of the repaired tugboats.

and got deep into the lake as he sampled the vessel.

Sources told Sunday Nation that the President gave strict instructions to the multisectoral team to ensure that the work is completed ahead of the launch next month.

The tour spearheaded by CS Macharia and Kenya Ports Authority managing director Daniel Manduku took the high-powered delegation to various divisions of the port as hundreds of NYS officers and engineers continued with their work.

After concluding the tour at the port, the President convened a meeting comprising of various officials involved in the rehabilitation works in one of the rooms at the port to get a brief.

During his visit to Kisumu on Thursday, Mr Odinga also made an inspection of the collapsed Kisumu Cotton Mills (Kicomi) also undergoing revitalisation.

He also sailed in one of the repaired tugboats.

and got deep into the lake as he sampled the vessel.

Sources told Sunday Nation that the President gave strict instructions to the multisectoral team to ensure that the work is completed ahead of the launch next month.

The tour spearheaded by CS Macharia and Kenya Ports Authority managing director Daniel Manduku took the high-powered delegation to various divisions of the port as hundreds of NYS officers and engineers continued with their work.

After concluding the tour at the port, the President convened a meeting comprising of various officials involved in the rehabilitation works in one of the rooms at the port to get a brief.

During his visit to Kisumu on Thursday, Mr Odinga also made an inspection of the collapsed Kisumu Cotton Mills (Kicomi) also undergoing revitalisation.