Garissa residents want Somalia border reopened

Garissa residents are urging the state to consider reopening the Somalia border, saying it will help spur trade between Kismayo and the northern counties.

The port of Kismayo is famous for the lucrative trade of charcoal, sugar, food and construction materials.

Jubaland traders unload large quantities of goods from ships sailing around the world at the port of Kismayo. It remains one of the richest seaports in East Africa.

Before closure of the border, most of the goods consumed in the northern counties came from Kismayo.

The port is the main source of revenue for the Jubaland administration, which shares a long border with Kenya.

Abdi Mohamed a business man from Garissa remembers with nostalgia how business thrived in Garissa when the border was still open.

“The port of Kismayo used to serve our counties very well before things turned upside down. It's proximity to our border Dobley and Liboi was cost effective to us,” he said.

Mohamed said when the border was open, there was free movement of cheap goods, foodstuffs, electronics and cooking oil.  We keep praying that the boarder is re-opened.

"Once re-opened small-scale entrepreneurs from Lamu and Mombasa will benefit in terms of markets and tourism. The port has huge benefits to us a country. That is a fact that we cannot run a way from or hide,” he said.

Ahmed Haji another  businessman from Garissa said the booming business at the port of Kismayo could prove beneficial to residents of northeastern once the border is re-opened.

“We have on several occasions asked the state to consider re-opening entry points that will allow free trade to thrive.

"The continuous closure is not helping anyone. Its counterproductive if you ask me,” Haji who specializes in electronic business said.

He said the only way to curb entry of contraband goods is by re-opening designated border entry points and posting relevant government departments to inspect goods and services.

The government closed all border points in northeastern on November 2019 in a bid to stop entry of contraband goods. It said its proceeds were being used to finance terror groups.

The government further said that it was loosing millions through untaxed goods. Some goods were also said to be sub standard.

According to UN statistics, the regional administration of Kismayo raised Sh2.4 billion in the last financial year, coming second to Puntland State which generated a revenue of Sh7.1 billion.

Kismayo Port manager Ahmed Haji told the media that work at the port is good.

He said Kismayo is undergoing major transformation in terms of trade and construction following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Haji said the pandemic disruptions slowed the improvement and efficiency plans the Jubaland State had for the port.

He however said they have recorded significant growth in the last two years.

He says currently an average of ten vessels dock at the port, a significant growth compared to a low of up to five vessels a day recorded during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The manager said going forward they aspire to record improvement this year in the volume of cargo they  receive at the port.

This, he said, “Will lead to employment for many who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.”

The port city was liberated by the Kenyan forces and Raskamboni Jubaland forces in 2012 from the hands of al shabaab, which controlled large parts of Southern Somalia.

Kismayo port is a key maritime player in the country. It is along main international shipping routes and has 3,300 kilometres of coastline.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)