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The Port City of Mombasa is witnessing major signs of economic revival one year down the line after President William Ruto’s directive to revert the Port operation to the City.

According to Statehouse Spokesman Hussein Mohamed, the move has since boosted regional business, revitalised Mombasa and the Northern Corridor.

He said available records indicate the Port and Northern corridor recorded significant improvement in total cargo handled, container traffic, transit traffic and transit market share.

“One year ago President William Ruto fulfilled his promise to reverse port operations back to Mombasa County, allowing customers to choose transportation and clearance locations. This has boosted regional business, revitalising Mombasa and the northern corridor,” noted Hussein.

Cargo handled

In the period between Jan – June 2023, the statehouse spokesperson noted total cargo handled went up by 3.3 per cent representing 584,554 tons to 18.06 million tons, from 2022.

Container traffic at the same time increased to 783,125 Twenty foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) representing a notable 8.5 per cent or 61,062 TEUs increase.

“Transit traffic surged by 4.2 per cent reaching 5.41 million tons: significant growth in South Sudan (72.4 per cent), DRC (89.8 per cent), Tanzania (38.4 per cent), and Rwanda (39.5per cent),” he said Mohamed adding “transit market share improved to 4.4 per cent, compared to 3.3 per cent in 2022.”

In June 2018, the government introduced plans to have cargo arriving at the port of Mombasa transported on the standard gauge railway for clearance at the inland container depot.

The June directive, according to businessmen and women operating Small and medium-sized enterprises within the Port area came with massive disruption of small businesses around the Port area, forcing multitudes of residents to leave and seek livelihoods elsewhere.