President Uhuru Kenyatta today presided over the operationalization of the first berth of the 32-berth deep seaport in Lamu.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia accompanied the head of state to Lamu. 

The Lamu deep seaport. PHOTO/COURTESY

The area governor, Fahim Twaha, received at the new Lamu port the president and his entourage.

During the inauguration ceremony of the Lamu port, the president also witnessed the maiden docking and discharge of cargo from a 204-meter long Singaporean container ship MV CAP CARMEL.

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President Uhuru witnessing the docking and discharge of the MV CAP Carmel. PHOTO/COURTESY

The port is part of a regional Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor project (LAPSSET) initially conceived in 1972 during the Jomo Kenyatta government, initiated in 2012 during the Mwai Kibaki reign and now executed by Uhuru’s government in 2021.

The first 3 of the 32 berths are ready for use and were built for Sh40 billion while the whole project will cost Sh310 billion on completion.

Singaporean MV CAP CARMEL PHOTO/COURTESY

The LAPSSET project is expected to help improve the regional economies by increasing trade within the countries involved and strengthen their association.

Earlier in the day, Uhuru was in Minjila in Garsen, Tana River County to open officially the 114km Garsen–Witu–Lamu Road.

President Uhuru at Minjila. PHOTO/COURTESY

The Garsen–Witu–Lamu Road will ease the movement of goods from the newly commissioned 32-berth seaport in Lamu.