PHOTOS: President Uhuru finally commissions Kisumu Shipyards

President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived at the Kisumu port to commission Kisumu Shipyard Limited at Kisumu Pier.

Uhuru who landed in Kisumu on Monday spent the night at the State Lodge.

He is accompanied by Defense Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, Industrialization CS Betty Maina, Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, Chief of Defense Forces General Robert Kibochi and a host of Principal Secretaries including Interior PS Karanja Kibicho.

Present are Kisumu governor Anyang Nyong’o, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Kisumu speaker Elisha Oraro, Kisumu acting City manager Abala Wanga, Kisumu Senate ODM candidate Prof Tom Ojienda.

The president arrived at the port at 11 am before he embarked on the inspection of the premise. There will also be prayers for the ship and sailors.

Uhuru will officially oversee the floatation of the MV Uhuru II ship which is nearing completion.

The Sh2.4 billion vessel with a capacity of 1,800 tonnes was being built at the Kenya Shipyard Limited's Kisumu facility by Kenyan agencies, including the KDF, in partnership with Dutch firm-Damen Shipyards.

This is the first ship to be constructed and locally assembled in the country which has given the country a great milestone as it positions itself to tap into the potential of Lake transport and the blue economy.

The ship will complement the old MV Uhuru 1 built in 1966, currently ferrying goods mainly petroleum products to Uganda.

MV Uhuru 1 has a capacity of 1,260 tonnes. The MV Uhuru II will bring the total Kenya vessel capacity at the Port of Kisumu to more than 3,060 tonnes.

On Monday, Uhuru officially opened the new ultra-modern Kisumu Railway Station as he commenced his 3-day working tour of Nyanza and Western Kenya regions.

In Miwani, Muhoroni sub-county, he inspected rehabilitation works of the Nakuru-Kisumu railway line implemented by the Kenya Defense Forces.

Uhuru later visited the Kisumu Railways station, where he will officially open the facility.