President William Ruto has sought to dismiss claims by a section of the political circle that the government has put in place plans to privatise Mombasa Port.
Speaking during the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Governing Council meeting at the Bomas of Kenya on Friday, the President assured Mombasa residents that this will not happen under his watch.
“Mimi niliwaambia watu wa kutoka Mombasa kwamba mambo ya privatisation ya port ya Mombasa haitafanyika when we are in government. Niliwaambia kwanza ya kwamba nikifika ofisini, ile maneno ya kuleta operations ya port ya Mombasa Nairobi, tutarudisha port operations to Mombasa, na tulifanya hivyo on my day one,” he said
The Head of State instead announced that his administration is only planning to expand the port in a bid to increase its operations as well as provide employment to the local youth.
He went on to add that the Mombasa Port has the capability to serve, not just Kenya, but also numerous countries in the region, hence needs to be made a little bigger to serve this purpose thereby boosting the economy.
To do this, however, President Ruto admitted that the government will partner with the private sector, but dismissed claims that this will lead to privatization of the port in totality.
“Ile kitu nataka niwahakikishie ni kwamba ile port sasa tunataka tuipanue vizuri na tuweke nafasi kubwa zaidi ya kuzalisha ajira na kuzalisha mali, kwa sababu ile port sasa iko na uwezo wa kuserve South Sudan, DRC, Rwanda, Burindi na Uganda,” he noted.
“Tunataka tuipanue kwa njia inayofaa; we’re going to work with the private sector in that process, but the port will not be privatised…I want everybody to understand that.”
President Ruto’s remarks come after the opposition, led by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya pointman Raila Odinga, called out the government over the alleged plans to privatise the port.
“The intended privatization of the Port of Mombasa by the UDA Administration remains a mystery. We are perturbed by the decision to have the Port privatized without public participation and the involvement of the County Government of Mombasa,” said Mr. Odinga in a press address in Mombasa on Friday.
“One would ask, why is the process shrouded in secrecy? What is the economic value of the privatization to Kenyans, the people of Mombasa County and the Coast region as a whole?”
He added: “Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition does not support the planned privatization of the Port and we shall resist it until the issues Kenyans have raised are openly and adequately addressed. We demand for transparency and openness in the management of public affairs and public assets as required by law and the meaningful engagement of the representatives of the people.”
circle that the government has put in place plans to privatise Mombasa Port.
Speaking during the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Governing Council meeting at the Bomas of Kenya on Friday, the President assured Mombasa residents that this will not happen under his watch.
“Mimi niliwaambia watu wa kutoka Mombasa kwamba mambo ya privatisation ya port ya Mombasa haitafanyika when we are in government. Niliwaambia kwanza ya kwamba nikifika ofisini, ile maneno ya kuleta operations ya port ya Mombasa Nairobi, tutarudisha port operations to Mombasa, na tulifanya hivyo on my day one,” he said.
