Nassir's push for Mombasa port revenue share pays off

The long-running tussle between the National government and the County Government of Mombasa over the sharing of revenue from the port of Mombasa appears to have come to an end.

This is after President William Ruto said on Saturday the county government is entitled to a share of the revenue raised from the port.

"In my opinion, Mombasa is entitled to a share of the funds we generate from the Port," the President said.

He spoke during a stakeholders' meeting which he presided over at the Kenya Ports Authority.

Ruto instructed the Transport Ministry and KPA to cooperate with the county to operationalize the idea through legislation.

The President's directive followed an impassioned appeal by Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Sherrif Nassir who said local governments the world over manage their ports and other services related to domestic infrastructure and urban planning.

"The Constitution of Kenya envisioned local governments retaining a share of the revenue from assets domiciled within their borders," Nassir said amidst cheers from local leaders.

The County Government of Mombasa has been locked in a tussle with the National Government since the advent of devolution on the issue of revenue from the port of Mombasa in Kilindini.

This intergovernmental push and pull eventually found its way from the Transition Authority to the Supreme Court for interpretation leaving the coastal county’s residents forlorn on the expectation of any share of the cake from port operations.

Governor Abdullswamad took up the crusade barely a year ago after he assumed office and together with his team, actively worked on a legal framework that would see Mombasa benefit as the host county for the region’s largest port.

However, his first effort through the proposed Port Users Levy Bill did not succeed.

But on Saturday, his resilience appeared to have made some headway after the President acknowledged that Mombasa County was indeed entitled to a share of the revenue generated from the port.

Speaking on the sidelines of the stakeholders' engagement, he said Mombasa faces unique challenges as a city-county occasioned by the heavy traffic that passes through Mombasa, the significant population pressure as well as the dense development.

"As my administration scales up delivery of services to our people, we need the resources to ensure that we can stand on our own. The promise of devolution was self-reliance; this is the goal that I shall work towards for the people of Mombasa," he said.