ODM party leader Raila Odinga has called upon President Uhuru Kenyatta to reassure Kenyans that the loan secured from the United Arab Emirates to enhance efficiency within the Second Container Terminal in Mombasa was not a bribe to sway the contract in favour of Dubai.

Addressing the media on sunday in Mombasa moments before the Pwani declaration rally, the opposition leader raised queries over the Sh28 billion loan lend to the Government of Kenya by the Government of the United Arab Emirates( UAE)on October to be used in the development of the port of Mombasa.

" This loan looks more like a bribe to senior persons in government as it was given on condition that the Government of the United Arab Emirates will appoint an agent to operate, manage and undertake the expansion of the Second Container Terminal which was funded and built by the Government of Japan. UAE purchased our second terminal and went ahead to appoint Dubai Port World (DP World) to manage the facility," said Odinga.

Eyebrows were raised after the Dubai Port World, which has been given the contract to manage the second container terminal lost the bid to 12 other port operators with Chinese consortium PSA International emerging the top.

Accompanied by Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho and Amason Kingi, the leaders called on a truce in terms of payment of the loan and clarification on why it was a better deal than what the country would have secured from other institutions.

According to the bilateral agreement signed on the 26th of October 2016, the loan can also be used to finance other projects including the Special Economic Zones, other port infrastructure and other capacity building and community development initiatives contrary to the norm where loans are sought for a specific project.