The MPs allied to UhuRuto Express addressing Makutano residents on Sunday. [The Star]
A section of Jubilee MPs has defended the government’s plan to set up a dry port in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
The lawmakers under the umbrella body UhuRuto Express dismissed the allegations by the National Super Alliance (NASA) that the port it is intended to sabotage the economy of Mombasa County.
They faulted opposition leader Raila Odinga who they said lacks a development agenda and is spreading propaganda to woo voters.
On Sunday during a NASA campaign rally in Kilifi County, Raila alleged the port is a scheme to frustrate and ‘kill’ the region’s economy by moving key port services away from Mombasa.
“This SGR will kill the Port of Mombasa because all the cargoes being docked at the port will directly be transported to Naivasha by rail and render the coastal people working at the harbour jobless. Services like clearing and forwarding will now be done in Naivasha,” said Raila as quoted by Citizen Digital.
But the JP leaders speaking in Kirinyaga County on Sunday termed the arguments as farfetched adding that the efficiency of the Mombasa Port will improve by establishing an inland port in Naivasha.
“The fact is that Mombasa Port activities are not being transferred to Naivasha since the region does not border the Indian Ocean. The port is meant to relieve the Mombasa Port of congestion, create more space for handling cargo and improve efficiency,” read a statement from the UhuRuto Express Team.
“A dry port in Naivasha will thus increase productivity at Mombasa Port because larger container ships would dock without fear of prevalent demurrage charges accruing due to port inefficiency. Traffic congestion, road accidents, and road maintenance costs on both our national trunk roads and highways would decrease drastically because one train has the capacity to substitute 35 trucks.”
The team has brought together MPs John Kihagi (Naivasha), Mary Wambui (Othaya), Esther Gathogo (Ruiru), Jamleck Kamau (Kigumo), Nelson Gaichuhie (Subukia), Kamande Wambuku, (Maragua), Njogu Barua (Gichugu) among others.