By Victor Ochieng from London, United Kingdom (Aerial View of Mombasa Uploaded by ZH2010) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Kenya’s deputy president William Ruto has announced the Japanese Government will fund the modernisation of Mombasa port at a cost of KSh30 billion (US$352 million).
Ruto was among more than 50 Heads of State and Government invited to the 5th Tokyo International Conference on Africa’s Development (TICAD), and said there is a need to urgently expand and commercialise the port in order to compete with other countries in the region.
The conference which ran from June 1-3, in Yokohama, aimed to promote high-level policy dialogue between Japan and Africa. It also provided an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and support to Africa’s political, economic reforms and development.
Ruto held meetings with senior representatives of leading Japanese public and private companies with business interests in Kenya to discuss strengthening of trade and investments between the two countries.
The deputy president said the funding will see the construction of phase two and three of the port and construction of free port and Bypass at Dongo Kundu.
“I also met the Vice President of the World Bank and concluded discussions on the construction of the Kitale to Juba Road that will cost KSh50 billion (US$588 million) to cover a distance of 600 kilometres and which will start at the end of the year,” he noted.
Japan is one of Kenya’s leading development partners with Japanese financial cumulative support to Kenya’s development amounting to US$418.94 billion.
