Writer
Nation Media Group
With less than nine days to the August 9 General Election, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has assured internal and international customers of uninterrupted service delivery.
KPA Acting Managing Director John Mwangemi said: "I would like to reassure the business community in Kenya and the east African region that KPA, in collaboration with all key government agencies and cargo interveners, has put in place sound measures to ensure business continuity during and after elections."
Mr Mwangemi made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by the General Manager of Engineering Services Anderson Mtalaki during the KPA corporate golf tournament at the Nakuru Golf Club on Saturday.
-
The good, bad and ugly of SGR service
-
High Court bars KPA from procuring cleaning services after suit
Mr Mwangemi urged Kenyans to maintain peace during and after the elections.
"Finally, we have nine days left before one of our national big days which comes after every five years. Vote wisely and be peaceful," he said.
He added: "As they say, once bitten twice shy, it is normal for the business community to develop a wait and see attitude whenever we approach the electioneering period. This tendency often slows cargo documentation and evacuation from the port."
Increasing customer demand
He revealed that in the past week, he met with customers in the transit countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to assure them that KPA shall offer uninterrupted services.
The MD announced that KPA had embarked on infrastructural development projects at the port to improve service delivery and meet the increasing customer demand.
"KPA is committed to the implementation of key strategic projects to complement efficiency and key among these include the completion of phase two of the second container terminal with an additional 450,000 Twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) which has increased the Port of Mombasa annual capacity to 2.1 million TEUs.”
The MD also said the rehabilitation of Kisumu port has increased trade within the lake region and cargo volumes handled through the port, with vessel frequency between the Jinja- Kisumu route increasing.
To ensure there is an uninterrupted supply of fuel in the country and beyond, KPA has constructed a modern state-of-the-art Kipevu Oil Terminal.
"This is the biggest oil terminal in the region with a capacity to handle up to three oil tankers at one go and up to four later," he added.
Modern equipment
Other key infrastructural development projects include the construction of Kenya's second commercial port at Lamu which assumed operations last year.
He said: "Plans are at an advanced stage to equip the facility with modern equipment. Plans are also at an advanced stage to develop Special Economic Zones at Dongo Kundu area of the Port in collaboration with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other government agencies."
Mr Mwangemi announced that KPA will continue introducing outreach programmes in the North Rift region and other parts of the country away from the traditional Mombasa and Nairobi which the state agency has always focused on.
"This is borne of our desire to further improve service delivery and enhance our customers and stakeholders' satisfaction by understanding their unique business and social needs and making adjustments where necessary to meet unique customer needs," said Mr Mwangemi.
KPA donated bedding and clothing worth Sh200,000 to the Nakuru Hill Special School as part of its corporate social investment initiatives.
