Cargo movement through Mombasa port speeds up

NAIROBI – Kenya’s government, under fire for long delays in moving goods through Mombasa port, has ordered the gateway to east and central Africa to stay open permanently.

The crucial role of the port for the entire region was highlighted during Kenya’s bloody post-election crisis early this year when landlocked neighbours including Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi suffered severe shortages of food and fuel because of blocked supply routes. Treasury officials say the two-month crisis cost Kenya US$1 billion.”President Mwai Kibaki has today directed the implementation of a 24 hours, 7 days a week service delivery at the port of Mombasa,” an official statement said late on Monday.”All the relevant government organs have one week to fully implement the directive.”Kibaki and former opposition leader Raila Odinga, now prime minister of a coalition government, are working to boost private sector growth to an annual target of 10 per cent by 2010 from seven per cent in 2007.Kibaki and Odinga also announced the removal of unnecessary police roadblocks, where transporters say they suffer major delays and are forced to pay bribes.”It is a very good move.It means reduced number of days for businessmen bringing goods to Rwanda.As you know very well, time is money,” said Vincent Karega, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Trade and Industry.CONGESTION Kenneth Bagamuhunda, customs director of the five-member East African Community (EAC) said transit time would be cut.”It is high time because there has been a lot of congestion,” he told Reuters.The bloc said last month trade volumes between some of the member states had risen by as much as 600 per cent on gradual elimination of tariffs.Tanzania, whose port of Dar es Salaam already operates 24 hours a day, said Kenya’s move would benefit it as well.”Customers are looking for efficiency.When ships call at the two ports, the shipping lines would be happy for both ports to be efficient, not just one efficient port,” said Jason Rugaihuruza, the port manager.Last week, Odinga held a roundtable meeting with businessmen and announced a raft of measures to improve transport efficiency.That came after another announcement giving the company running the Kenya-Uganda railway concession three months to raise $40 million capital and improve cargo movement.Analysts praised the new moves to improve efficiency in the region’s biggest economy, especially those by Odinga.”President Kibaki has always talked about accountable and efficient government, but it is his former arch-foe, Odinga, who is out in the field whipping everybody into line,” wrote Daily Nation columnist Macharia Gaitho.Nampa-ReutersTreasury officials say the two-month crisis cost Kenya US$1 billion.”President Mwai Kibaki has today directed the implementation of a 24 hours, 7 days a week service delivery at the port of Mombasa,” an official statement said late on Monday.”All the relevant government organs have one week to fully implement the directive.”Kibaki and former opposition leader Raila Odinga, now prime minister of a coalition government, are working to boost private sector growth to an annual target of 10 per cent by 2010 from seven per cent in 2007.Kibaki and Odinga also announced the removal of unnecessary police roadblocks, where transporters say they suffer major delays and are forced to pay bribes.”It is a very good move.It means reduced number of days for businessmen bringing goods to Rwanda.As you know very well, time is money,” said Vincent Karega, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Trade and Industry.CONGESTION Kenneth Bagamuhunda, customs director of the five-member East African Community (EAC) said transit time would be cut.”It is high time because there has been a lot of congestion,” he told Reuters.The bloc said last month trade volumes between some of the member states had risen by as much as 600 per cent on gradual elimination of tariffs.Tanzania, whose port of Dar es Salaam already operates 24 hours a day, said Kenya’s move would benefit it as well.”Customers are looking for efficiency.When ships call at the two ports, the shipping lines would be happy for both ports to be efficient, not just one efficient port,” said Jason Rugaihuruza, the port manager.Last week, Odinga held a roundtable meeting with businessmen and announced a raft of measures to improve transport efficiency.That came after another announcement giving the company running the Kenya-Uganda railway concession three months to raise $40 million capital and improve cargo movement.Analysts praised the new moves to improve efficiency in the region’s biggest economy, especially those by Odinga.”President Kibaki has always talked about accountable and efficient government, but it is his former arch-foe, Odinga, who is out in the field whipping everybody into line,” wrote Daily Nation columnist Macharia Gaitho.Nampa-Reuters

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