President Uhuru Kenyatta will next week pitch tent in Kisumu to commission a number of projects targeted at reviving Lake Victoria’s blue economy.
The Standard has established that among the projects that will be commissioned include the newly constructed shipyard at the Kisumu port as well as MV Uhuru II ship. The ship is a sister ship to mv Uhuru that was recently refurbished. The two projects are among those that have been tipped to place Kenya among the giants in the maritime industry, with a focus on shipbuilding and maritime transport.
The shipyard by the Kenya Shipyards Limited is a notable infrastructure aimed at improving shipbuilding. Yesterday, the Office of the Government Spokesperson confirmed that the president will be in Kisumu next week to launch the two projects. Senior government officials led by Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination Karanja Kibicho have already visited the city ahead of the president’s visit.
A senior official who asked not to be named told The Standard that the two projects will be commissioned next week, with the ship set to begin sail in about a month.
“Uhuru will be in Kisumu on August 2 to launch the two projects and we are already making the necessary preparations,” said the official.
With curtains beginning to fall on his presidential term, Uhuru’s administration is keen to ensure that all the projects he initiated in the region, especially those targeting the blue economy, are up and running. The shipyard is already operational, with officials at Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL) confirming to The Standard that they have already received 11 orders for new vessels from clients.
The country is also eyeing lucrative deals with trade partners from Uganda and Tanzania to carry out ship maintenance and repairs for their ships through the State-owned KSL.
