An election fever has gripped Dock Workers Union Secretary General (DWU) Simon Sang as he claims there are plans by cartels to unseat him so as to have control over the Mombasa port.
Although the union’s elections are slated to be in mid-April, campaigns have started way early in preparation for a big win.
“My competitors have already started campaigning, I am still tied up with the union matters but I will not like to be shut out, therefore I will start campaigning officially next week,” said Mr Sang.
Addressing the media on Monday in Mombasa County during the launch of Pwani Development Agenda, Mr Sang said that he is aware that cartels planning to privatise the Mombasa Port have sponsored three aspirants whom they can easily control once they assume the position of the union’s Secretary General.
“We made a lot of efforts as a union by teaming up with Tairen, a Mijikenda Welfare Association, and through our joined hands, the port has not been privatised. Dock workers are aware and nobody will be given opportunity if sponsored by cartels,” he said.
Pwani Development Forum entails several union workers under the blue economy that saw the need to come together and form a pillar which they will use to propel the economic agenda of the coastal region.
The main concern of the forum is to lobby the local and national governments to prioritise the blue economy on development matters.
“Despite the efforts made so far on enhancing the blue economy, we would like to maximise those efforts by proposing the creation of a Ministry of Blue Economy as a separate entity, since being under the ministry of transport as a department is not enough for this big economic wing,” said Mr Sang.
On behalf of the forum, Mr Sang said that they also suggested that the port be given a free board facility and the government to prioritise the social-economic zones like Dongo Kundu by-pass by finding investors for the channel.
They have also requested that employment opportunities from the Port be at 45% for the coastal people, other regions to get 8%, while Nairobi 3.5%.
by Chari Suche
