The Jubilee government is destroying Coast’s economy, especially Mombasa’s, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has said. He said the government does not market tourism at the Coast, yet it is the region’s backbone.
Khalwale warned the government against creating an employment crisis in Mombasa by setting up a dry port in Naivasha. He spoke in Mombasa on Saturday.
During ODM’s 10th anniversary celebrations on September 10, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho insinuated the same, saying the Jubilee government is out to “finish” the county. Joho said it does not make economic sense to create a dry port when there is an existing sea port in Mombasa.
Khalwale said, “I therefore want to urge the government, especially in respect to Mombasa county, to address the two sectors of employment, namely tourism and the Kenya Ports Authority.” He was addressing university student leaders at Khamis High School.
He said for every tourist who lands in Mombasa, there is a need for drivers, cooks, engineers and computer specialists, among others. “The reason for building the standard gauge railway was to increase jobs. That can only be the case if the railway line is going to run from Mombasa to Nairobi to Kampala to Kigali to Bujumbura and Juba,” Khalwale said.
“The President must kneel before the Presidents of the other member states in the (East African) Community so the railway goes to those centres I mentioned.”
He cited the TAZAM railway that was to run from Zambia to Tanzania, but which became a white elephant and did more harm to the economies of both countries than good.
Source: The Star

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