Leaders in Naivasha have welcomed decision by the government to allocate land to the neighboring Uganda to be used for construction of a dry port.
The leaders led by area MP, Jayne Kihara said the move will spur growth in the region, while creating employment to thousands of Kenyan youths who will be working at the port.
During President Yoweri Museveni’s visit in the country, Kenya offered Uganda land to build a dry port for its cargo in Naivasha as part of the joint Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project push between the two countries.
President Uhuru Kenyatta said his government would avail land in the second largest town in Nakuru County for Kampala to develop a dry port for its cargo.
Kihara praised the move terming it the best for the region, adding that Kenya stood to gain from the immense trade ties between the two countries with goods from other countries being cleared in time thereby saving time and costs.
“This is a great opportunity for our youths to get jobs and for the Jubilee agenda on employment of the young people to be realized,” she said.
She further said Naivasha will soon be a hub of industries noting that a technical committee was already in place to help fast track the establishment of an industrial park in the area.
Kihara said the committee involving senior National and county government officials will spearhead the mapping and creation of the site where industries will be set up.
The Naivasha Professionals Association Chairperson, Eskimos Kobia said that Nakuru County stood to gain from the dry port and industrial park and called on the government to explain where the dry port for Kenya will be built saying it was bringing confusion among the county residents.
Kobia added that although the residents welcomed the decision to give Uganda a land for a dry port, the government should first point out where the Kenyan port will be built to diffuse confusion on the ground.
He further said Naivasha will be a key logistical hub in the region, noting that the completion of the SGR will improve the economy of the town and the county in general.
By Esther Mwangi/Jescah Okinda
