Mombasa Governor Hassan joho addressing residents in Taita Taveta. Photo: Hassan Joho/ facebook.com
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has claimed that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto leased the Port of Mombasa to a Dubai-based firm without the knowledge of Kenyans.
The outspoken governor said he has adequate evidence to prove that the national government has leased the port at the expense of the common mwananchi.Addressing a rally in Voi after holding a meeting with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) hopefuls, Joho said he will soon publish documents in regard to the matter.Joho expressed fear that many Kenyans would end up being jobless following the lease of the port to the foreign firm. “The Government wants to close the port and take it to upcountry. The port of Mombasa will now be handling containers which will be transported to the proposed Naivasha dry port,” he said, as quoted by the Standard. The governor also said that President Mwai Kibaki and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga had come to a consensus to set up a dry port in Voi only for the plan to be changed.Joho further said that together with others leaders, they backed the plan to establish the dry port in the Coast region in order to promote business.“We all supported the project to be established in Voi town, which would have thrived due to increase in the volume of business because the town is strategically situated along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway; about 150 km from the Port of Mombasa,” he added.