Mombasa is set for a massive economic and infrastructural
transformation after President William Ruto unveiled projects worth more than
Sh120 billion during his two-day working tour of the coastal city.
The initiatives, cutting across transport, housing,
manufacturing, blue economy, and land reforms, signal the Ruto government’s
renewed focus on a region once considered an opposition bastion.
The package of projects includes the Sh6 billion Mombasa
Commuter Rail Service, Sh41 billion expansion of the Port of Mombasa, Sh65
billion Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone and Sh24 billion affordable housing
projects.
Others are the Sh7.5 billion Mombasa–Mtwapa road upgrade,
additional Sh4.7 billion for other road projects, Sh3.8 billion title deed and
land reforms, the Sh461 million County Aggregation and Industrial Park, and the
Sh175 million Kidongo Fish Landing Site.
One of the highlights of the visit was the commissioning of
the Sh6 billion Mombasa Commuter Rail Service, a 16.6-kilometre line linking
the city centre with the Standard Gauge Railway terminus at Miritini.
President Ruto said the commuter service, with a daily
capacity of 4,000 passengers, will provide faster, safer and more affordable
transport while easing congestion on the city’s roads.
“The commissioning of the Mombasa Commuter Rail Service is
more than a local convenience. It is a symbol of our past, a solution for the
present and a promise for the future,” he said, adding that the link at
Kilometre Zero reconnects modern infrastructure with the historical starting
point of the 1896 Kenya–Uganda Railway.
The Port of Mombasa, a vital gateway to East and Central
Africa, is being expanded at a cost of Sh41 billion to improve efficiency and
global competitiveness.
“When I got into office in 2022, my first commitment to the
people of Mombasa was to reverse the port services back to Mombasa. Today, I
can confidently say there is greater efficiency at the port of Mombasa. We have
moved the number of containers from 1.4 million to 2 million in three years,”
President Ruto said.
He said that is the reason they now want to expand the port
of Mombasa.
“I will be back here before the end of the year to start the
expansion of the Mombasa port. The government of Kenya has committed another
Sh41 billion to expand the port of Mombasa, so that we can make it more
efficient and we can make it bigger and better for those who are using the port
of Mombasa,” he said.
Complementing this is the Sh65 billion Dongo Kundu Special
Economic Zone, set to be launched before the end of the year.
The SEZ will host manufacturing, logistics and industrial
facilities, creating thousands of jobs for residents.
In the manufacturing sector, the Sh461 million County Aggregation
and Industrial Park is already 35 per cent complete.
The facility will feature cold storage warehouses and value
addition facilities to boost agro-industrial competitiveness.
Road infrastructure is also a major focus with the ongoing
Sh7.5 billion 13.5-kilometre Mombasa–Mtwapa Road.
The President added that an additional Sh4.7 billion has
also been allocated to improve Mombasa roads.
Affordable housing is another pillar of the transformation
agenda.
The President inspected the Sh7 billion Nyali Affordable
Housing Project, the largest of its kind in the coastal region.
Spread across 23 acres, the development will feature 1,932
housing units, schools, a 1,000-stall market, a commercial complex and
landscaped courtyards.
Currently 22 per cent complete, the project has already
created 2,000 jobs.
The national government has set aside Sh24 billion for all
affordable housing projects, fresh produce markets and student hostels in
Mombasa, said the President.
To resolve long-standing land issues, the government has
allocated Sh3.8 billion for title deed processing and the purchase of land from
absentee landlords to resettle squatters.
During his visit, Ruto issued title deeds to residents of
Chaani, underscoring his pledge to secure land rights.
In Kisauni, the government is developing the Sh175 million
Kidongo Fish Landing Site, complete with modern storage facilities to curb post-harvest
losses and uplift fisherfolk livelihoods.
President Ruto urged Kenyans to support his transformation
agenda, which prioritises food security, infrastructure, housing and
healthcare.
“Kenyans should stand together and ignore those who have no
plan, vision, or agenda for the progress of our country,” he said.
Beyond development, the visit marked a political shift for
Mombasa.
Once an opposition stronghold, the county is now rallying
behind President Ruto’s “two-term” slogan, with leaders like Mining Cabinet
Secretary Hassan Joho and Governor Abdulswamad Nassir joining the bandwagon
pushing for Ruto’s re-election.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki noted the growth of the
President’s political base at the Coast.
“In the last election, only a few leaders stood with the
President. Today, the team is bigger and stronger,” he said.
Joho, who led chants in support of Ruto’s re-election bid,
dismissed critics of the administration, saying, “It’s President Ruto’s
government that has put the Coast on the national map through development
projects. Previous governments ignored us.”
INSTANT ANALYSIS
President William Ruto’s two-day tour of Mombasa was as much political as it was developmental. By unveiling Sh120 billion worth of projects, ranging from transport, port expansion and housing to land reforms and the blue economy, he has positioned Mombasa as the crown jewel of his administration’s coastal agenda.
