Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) co-principal Moses Wetangula has said that the Mombasa port should be managed by Mombasa County government.
Wetangula said Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Senator Hassan Omar should control the port for the county and its residents’ benefit.
Wetangula said the constitution demands that the port should be managed by the county government.
“In the new constitution, Mombasa port is the property of the Mombasa government and not the property of the national government. The national government should allow the county to run Mombasa port. They should not ignore the constitution they swore to protect at all times,” he said.
“The constitution says that ferries and harbours are resources of county governments,” added the Bungoma Senator.
Governor Joho has been pushing the National Government to devolve port and ferry services.
Speaking at Jomvu in Mombasa during a funds drive to help Western Combined Welfare Group, Wetangula said residents from the county should be the first beneficiaries of the county resources.
He said that resources in the county should be used to bring development in the county and provide jobs to the Mombasa residents before people from other counties are given jobs.
“The port is a major resource which can benefit the county and its residents. Mombasa roads should not be in the poor state they are in when the port is contributing billions to the national exchequer,” he said.