Dongo Kundu will make Mombasa Kenya’s economic springboard - Omar

The Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone in Mombasa, which will create employment for thousands of youth and boost the county’s economy, is ready for take-off.

The Kenya Kwanza government is in advanced stages of issuing a tender for the construction of a new Sh60 billion berth at the SEZ.

UDA vice chair Hassan Omar on Thursday said a Japanese company won the tender for the construction.

“In the process of construction, we will, together with other leaders in UDA, ensure that Kenyans are the first to get jobs there,” Omar said.

The jobs, he said, will not only include actual construction but also supply of materials, which he is fighting to ensure the inclusion of youth and women groups in Mombasa.

“There is no big issue in supplying sand, cement, gravel, and other construction materials to the construction site. 

“Mombasa will be the foundation of Kenya’s economic revolution,” Omar said.

He spoke at the UDA Hustler Centre in Nyali where he met party delegates from Jomvu and Changamwe sub-counties in preparation for the June 22 grassroots elections.

The government has secured a USD2 billion (approximately Sh261 billion) from AfriExim Bank for onsite infrastructure construction.

This includes roads, water and drainage systems, and electricity infrastructure, among others to bolster production.

“Here, there will be more jobs for our youth and women from the sub-counties across Mombasa county,” Omar said.

The Dongo Kundu SEZ has attracted different national and international companies who are interested in setting up shop there.

Already, Taifa Gas from Tanzania has begun construction of their plant at the SEZ.

They were welcomed by President William Ruto who launched the project in February last year.

Japanese car manufacturers, Toyota, have expressed interest in setting up a vehicle manufacturing plant at Dongo Kundu. 

“We want Hyundai from Korea, Mercedes Benz from Germany, Peugeot from France, and other big international car brands to set up manufacturing plants, not assembly plants, in Dongo Kundu,” Omar said.

He said brands like Nike and Adidas make for interesting ventures when they set up shop in Dongo Kundu, indicating that the ruling regime could be looking to woo them.

The blue economy, he said, is another front that leaders in Mombasa and the Coast region should be vocal about.

Kenya Kwanza, he said, has picked a Cabinet Secretary from the region to lead the ministry because of the President's goodwill.

“We have a great resource in the sea but we do not have any significant benefit from it,” Omar said.

The government is championing the sector so as to harness the potential of the Indian Ocean. 

However, lack of value addition for sea products has seen Coastal residents reap very low returns.

“We fish and eat the fish as they are, with some going bad because of lack of cold storage facilities,” Omar said.

He said it is time Kenyan fishermen also get funded to buy bigger vessels that can go into the deep sea to catch fish like the foreign vessels do.

“Today, we eat tuna fish in packages written ‘Made in Somalia’ yet they Somali has not been stable for ages. But Kenya, which has enjoyed peace for ages, cannot produce packaged fish. Why?” 

Ruto’s government is looking to open factories across the Coast region and other areas where fish are caught to foster value addition on sea, lake and river products.