Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala on Tuesday, appeared before the National Assembly Sports, Tourism and Culture Committee over restoration of Mombasa's Mama Ngina Drive into a waterfront.
Balala told the committee chaired by Machakos Town MP Dr Victor Munyaka that sections of the waterfront had been grabbed but following President Uhuru Kenyatta's intervention, the Ministry in partnership with the County Government of Mombasa managed to repossess eight acres of land while six acres were being contested by the alleged land grabbers.
He also informed the committee that his Ministry is undertaking an ultra-modern state-of-the-art square at the waterfront at a cost of Sh460 million that is expected to be completed by May 31st, this year.
Read: This is what historic Mama Ngina Drive will be turned into
Also Read: Mombasa Tourism: A look at other cities with waterfronts
While stating that the front will largely boost tourism at the Coast, Balala said they hoped to have June 1st Madaraka Day celebrations held at Mama Ngina.
The facilities at the waterfront that will be free to the public will include an amphitheatre, an open gym among others.
The CS disclosed that so far, the project is 30 per cent complete adding that similar waterfronts will be done in Kisumu and Malindi at a cost of Sh600 million in the next financial year.
Balala pledged to the committee that "the project will not destroy the archaeological artefacts and that they have involved the Mombasa County Government being the primary stakeholders."
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