Naivasha dry port land gazetted - governor

The construction of the Dry Port in Naivasha has received a major boost after the government gazetted the over 1,000 acres where the project will be located.

The port and the industrial park will be located in Satellite area in Mai Mahiu,Naivasha off the Mai Mahiu-Narok road.

Already Uganda and Southern Sudan have been allocated land by the government to set up their loading zones and offices.

The details emerged when Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui led a  delegation of national and county government officials to the site.

Kinyajui said the project will be a game-changer for the county with thousands expected to benefit from job opportunities.

“The national government has set aside 1,000 acres which have been gazetted and we expect the construction of the logistical center and the port to kick off very soon,” he said.

Kinyanjui denied that local leaders and the county assembly had been locked from accessing the proposed land adding that the location of the port was an open secret.

“Some families will definitely be faced with relocation but we are working with the national government to make sure that they are compensated” he said.

According to the governor, the county was keen to support local youths through various courses so that they could be the employed in the park and port.

“We plan to use this port not only to import various items and products but to also export our products which include livestock produce and crop grown by our farmers,” he said.

Kinyanjui challenged the local community to form a liaison committee that would work with national and government in identifying and resolving challenges facing them.

On his part, the community chairman Joseph Ole Kishia said that the community fully supported the two major projects that would offer job employment.

He however called for families affected to be compensated first noting that those previously displaced by the SGR were yet to get compensation.

“All that we are asking is that local youths be given the first opportunity in job opportunities and the county should make sure that this is achieved,” he said.

Another elder Mike Roka called for a humane manner in which the families currently living on the identified land were handled.

“We have already received 4,000 acres from the government towards resetting the affected persons and we hope there will be fairness in the process,” he said.