Government Maintains Mombasa Port is not congested

By Tobby Otum

The government is satisfied with the work at the port of Mombasa and refuted allegations of congestion at the facility.

National Development Implementation Technical Committee [NDITC] on the port efficiency and congestion resolution chairman Karanja Kibicho said the presentations at Kenya Ports Authority [KPA] board room are accurate before embarking on an inspection tour of the port of Mombasa facility over allegations of congestion.

He said congestion at the port is not an issue and the government is not worried as they are happy with the work at the facility.

He said the port handles four types of cargo with local consignments supposed to be removed to their points of destination.

“The is different from cargo for transshipment and transit to neighboring countries,” he said.

Kibicho refuted claims in the mainstream and social media that the facility is congested after the fact finding tour.

He spoke during a media briefing after the fact finding tour at the port of Mombasa.The NDITC chairperson said they had tried to see how each component is being handled arguing they were unable to detect any congestion.

Kibicho, who is interior principal secretary and who was accompanied by his Shipping and Maritime Affairs counterpart Nancy Karigithu and Industrial Commercial Development Corporations (ICDU) Chair John Ngumi, told journalists they are determined to ensure they improve on space of cargo being evacuated at the port.

He said they never saw or detected any congestion at the county facility and at the Marshal yard the standard gauge railway freight service was ready and waiting to evacuate cargo out of the port.

“The two state corporations operating at the port are working together as a team to ensure cargo and goods are evacuated in good time,” he emphasized.