Construction of the Sh350 million ultra-modern cruise ship terminal at the port of Mombasa is almost complete.
The highly anticipated facility has been constructed with funding from Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Trade Mark East Africa.
The terminal features passenger reception facilities, duty free shops, restaurants, conference facilities and office spaces for key tourism stakeholders.
The terminal has also been fitted with CCTV cameras for security as well as intrusion detection devices to ward off trespassers and baggage facility with conveyor belt.
Coast Regional Commissioner (RC) John Elungata who chaired the Regional Development Implementation Coordination Committee (RDICC) meeting last friday said the facility is expected to give tourism sector a huge boost as more cruise ships are set to dock at the port.
“Construction is almost complete and commissioning is likely to happen in the next two weeks’ said Elungata.
He said the modern facility would position the coastal city as a passenger destination through the sea tourism and boost the sector.
The RC also said the Voi pool housing project in Taita Taveta County has secured Sh.64 million from the National Treasury to hasten the construction progress.
He also said the Technical University of Mombasa which is constructing hostels has received Sh.81 million to complete the project that is expected to end the perennial hostel shortages.
The administrator said extra funding for the two projects has been secured after the RDICC resolved the issue that threatened to derail their completion to the National Development Implementation Technical Committee (NDITC).
At the same time Elungata warned the NDITC committee members that absconding from the meetings held fortnightly to review status of government projects will not be entertained.
“ I will not entertain the casual approach adopted by some departmental heads and parastatal chiefs on the meetings from next year,” he warned.
Patrick Ngatia of the president’s delivery unit and the secretary to the RDICC said disciplinary action would be taken from next year against those who fail to attend the meetings.
By Hussein Abdullahi
