The Sh460 million Mama Ngina Waterfront Park is now more than 80 per cent complete, Tourism Cabinet Secretary (CS) Najib Balala has said.
Balala said the park, which sits on a 26-acre beach plot facing the Likoni crossing channel in Mombasa will be an iconic tourists’ attraction site.
According to the project designs, the Mama Ngina Waterfront Park will be an integrated urban destination for tourism, culture, festivals, shopping, dining and relaxation.
Speaking during a routine progress inspection of the project Friday , Balala said residents should embrace the newest attraction site in the coastal city.
“I’m optimistic that the Mama Ngina Waterfront Park will be an iconic tourist attraction centre and will boost the economy of Mombasa due to the number of local and international holidaymakers coming to the region,” said Balala.
The Tourism CS said courtesy of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) passenger services, Mombasa has continued to receive a large number of domestic tourists.
“We are now hoping that this park will be an attraction site for both local and international tourists coming to Mombasa,” said Balala.
The state-of-the-art project, which was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta on January 7, is expected to host this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations.
Accompanied by Tourism Principal Secretary Joe Okudo, Tourism Chief Administrative Secretary Joseph Boinett and Mombasa County leadership, Balala said the contractor-Suhufi Agencies Limited, will hand over the project on August 15 to the national government.
He said progress has since been made in the construction of the state-of-the-art amphitheater, the Pigeon Towers, the ablution blocks, the two main gates leading to the park and the Kilindini Cultural Centre.
Balala said the sewage treatment plant and the transformer room for the electricity will take quite some time to be completed.
The project was initially supposed to be completed by May 31, but had to be delayed because of changes in design.
“We had to add an additional two months because of the alteration in the earlier designs. We had to make adjustment in the presidential square because at first the design was not meant for national presidential functions,” said Balala.
By Hussein Abdullahi
