The US $30m face-lift of Kisumu Port in Kenya is on track. Interior Cs Dr. Fred Matiang’i confirmed that construction works are moving on swiftly to meet the scheduled date of commissioning.
The renovation of the port is meant to allow bigger vessels to dock in Kisumu to enhance trade with neighbouring countries. The work being undertaken include construction of 1,000-capacity container yard and rehabilitation of the Kisumu pier by Kenya Ports Authority to make the port the hub of trade in East Africa.
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Kisumu Port
The face lift also involves rehabilitation of the entire port, construction of a 8.8 million liters capacity oil jetty that is expected to transform Kisumu into the East African region’s petroleum export hub, construction of a ship assembling yard, a dry dock, and an industrial park as well as revitalization of One of East Africa’s biggest cargo vessel-the MV Uhuru which broke down thirteen years ago.
MV Uhuru which is owned by Railways Corporation was ignited and it roared for hours on last week for the first time since 2006. The corporation together with naval architects and the Kenya Navy marine engineers oversaw the redesigning and maintenance of the offshore oil rigs at the port.
The newly rehabilitated Kisumu port which is likely to spur the country’s domestic growth and create more wealth and jobs to the county’s residents is expected to be officially commissioned in August this year in the presence of President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo, John Magufuli of Tanzania and Paul Kagame of Rwanda. The 1,000-tonne and 91-meter-long MV Uhuru ship cargo on the other hand shall be rode on by the five presidents when they visit the port during the commissioning.
