President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced the establishment of a special police unit put into place to curb drug trafficking and contraband cargo at the Mombasa port.
Speaking on Saturday during his Mombasa tour, Mr Kenyatta accused corrupt businessmen over plotting with authorities to smuggle illicit cargo and drugs into the country.
He said that the police unit established would therefore go firmly on criminals who run illegal cartels at the port to recover the billions lost from the economy.
“We have agreed with the Inspector General of Police to establish an independent police unit that will be ensuring transit cargo is protected from the port of Mombasa to the border point,” he said.
“Our neighbours are complaining that Kenyans are stealing their cargo, which cannot be a status quo. Action must be taken, and will be taken against all those who think Mombasa port can be used as either a port of illicit trafficking or where goods of our neighbour are going to be stolen and consequently charged to the Kenyan taxpayer.”
Kenyatta further warned that the Mombasa port faced the threat of collapsing if the cartels were left with the free hand to operate as they wished, ordering the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to crack the whip.