Mombasa residents have expressed mixed reactions over the closure by the Kenya Revenue Authority of the Auto-Port Price Limited said to be owned by Governor Ali Hassan Joho.
To some residents, the closure was politically motivated while others believe that the move by the KRA lls under the taxman's mandate.
The closure which has attracted a political standoff between the ruling Jubilee coalition and the opposition Cord may be far from over even as the residents of Mombasa have taken different positions in the whole matter.
According to Daniel Wahome, a Likoni resident, the move by the government to stop the operations at the facility is malicious and politically driven.
He claims for the government to show seriousness in the fight against smuggled goods, they should have suspended the operations of all businesses operating there.
"How can you single out one business and claim that your intentions are in good faith? Such actions are questionable," he said in a Saturday interview.
The statement that was shared by another resident, Ezekiel Otulia.
According to Mr Otulia, the move is meant to silence the governor who is critical of government.
"This is pure politics at play. The intention of such a move is political and no one should cheat us that it is meant to fight against smuggling at the facility," he said.
However, to Robinson NZai, said the move by the KRA had nothing to do with politics.
He said the government through the KRA had the mandate to ensure that every operation at the facility was done in an accountable manner.
He said further that smuggling at the facility was denying the government a lot of money in revenue.