Business

Historic moment as Uhuru unveils Sh310b Lamu Port

Friday, May 21st, 2021 00:00 | By
President Uhuru kenyatta commissions the 1st berth at Lamu Port. Photo/PD/BONFACE MSANGI

Reuben Mwambingu @reubenmwambingu

President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday launched Kenya’s second port in Lamu in a move expected to significantly add to the country’s cargo gateway status by opening up new transit markets.

The Sh310 billion port is expected to attract key shipping lines by competing with ports of Djibouti on the horn of Africa and Durban in South Africa, given that it will primarily serve as a trans-shipment hub.

In addition it would serve key markets in southern Ethiopia and South Sudan.

Speaking during the event Uhuru said the project would open opportunities and end the narrative of marginalisation in the region.

He urged project developers to prioritise locals in the projects and told locals to take advantage of available opportunities and run with them as investors eye the region.

“With this project, investors will be coming and they will need offices, they will need housing and other amenities. Those are opportunities in the housing sector,” Uhuru said.

As a critical pillar of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor project, the port will connect South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya.

Eventually, it will connect northern Kenya to the Middle Belt of Africa; which runs from Dakar, Senegal in the west to Lamu in the east.

Strategically located in the middle of major shipping routes, the new seaport is expected to open northern parts of Kenya to international trade.

“With one of the deep water harbours on the east coast of Africa, Lamu Port has the potential to become a premier transshipment hub for all cargo destined for the continent.

Furthermore, Lamu now joins the Mombasa Port as being a key entry and exit point of cargo, deep into and out of Africa’s hinterland,” Uhuru said.

However, the Head of State told residents not to spare terrorists and criminal elements who will be out to disrupt development projects, but co-operate with authorities to ensure that they are neutralised to enable growth.

Terror-related crimes

“We are relishing this milestone but we should also know that there are people who won’t be happy with this as it will disrupt their business of terror-related crimes.

Don’t hesitate to co-operate with police to ensure they are dealt with because they are within us, “he said. 

The president who arrived at the new port in the company of Ethiopia Ambassador to Kenya Meles Alem-Tekea and other top government officials handed over the certificate of first call to the Captain and Master of Cap Carmel, the first vessel that made the maiden call at the new port.

He then witnessed a dummy offloading of the first two containers from the vessel.

The new port project, Uhuru said, will ensure the crude oil “that has been lying in Turkana is shipped to the rest of the continent in what he noted will open up a spectrum of business opportunities. 

“We are here to ascertain the dream that was doubted by many. These are some of the projects that will help us realise our dream of eradicating poverty,” he said.

The president commissioned the first berth and said berths two and three are expected to be ready by July and October respectively.

“I am confident that just like in other infrastructure projects such as the pipeline and JKIA launched by our founding fathers of the nation, decades from now we shall look back and relish the massive transformation that will come with jobs created,” Uhuru said.

Ealier, the president launched Lamu-Witu- Mokowe Road and envisioned plenty of opportunities for local communities.  The 113 Kilometres road, he said will be a game changer in Lamu County. 

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