Kenyan inland waterways project to bolster trade, tourism in East Africa

31 Août 2020

Nairobi, Kenya, August  31 (Infosplusgabon) - The Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Raila Odinga are in Kisumu to inspect work on an inland transport corridor on Lake Victoria.

According to the local media reports, the President and his former political rival now associate, Odinga, arrived in Kisumu on a tour of the facility on Sunday ahead of its official launch.

The World Bank is helping to finance the US$34 million project, which aims to enhance the free movement of tourists around the East African region, according to Kenyan officials.

President Kenyatta's first stopover during Sunday's impromptu visit was at the Marine Vessel Uhuru, which had docked at the port after delivery of 17 million litres of petroleum to Uganda, according to the Star newspaper, a private daily.

President Kenyatta recently ordered the refurbishment of the colonial-era Nairobi-Kisumu railway, which is expected to play a major role in enhancing regional transport.

Kenya is enhancing the waterways link to Luzira Port Bell in Uganda, which is connected to Kampala.

The Uganda Port Services launched the Dar es Salaam to Port Bell transport corridor in 2018, to enhance the movement of cargo through the inland waterways through the railway connections.

It costs roughly US$1,400 to transport a container from the port of Dar es Salaam to Port Bell and at least US$67 per tonne on the inland waterways according to port officials.

In Kenya, officials expect that the development of the regional infrastructure projects including the ports of Kisumu, airports and inland waterways would enhance the experience of international tourists.

Odinga who is in charge of the development of regional and continental infrastructure, said the project is expected to ease the movement of tourists and traders.

Foreign and local travellers as well as traders can fly into Kisumu from international destinations, book into cruise ships moving into Mwanza and the Serengeti, the world famous wildlife parks, using the lake.

The project is funded by the World Bank and it entails development of Kisumu Port into a modern Ksh22.5 billion (US$208 million) commercial Lake Port to serve the growing trade in the EAC region.

The Kisumu port project alongside the US$7.4 million Kisumu waterfront project aimed at enhancing urban planning, also funded by the World Bank, is expected to improve Kisumu's status as a regional tourism hub in East Africa.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/AFD/GABON2020

© Copyright  Infosplusgabon