Fear grips port after CS James Macharia cracks whip
Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
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The shuffle caught the port fraternity unawares, including top management, but the CS announced that more changes will be effected soon.
Fear and uncertainty has gripped senior managers at the port of Mombasa two days after Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia reshuffled 14 out of 16 heads of department.
Mr Macharia, who toured the port on Thursday, said the changes will make the port work more efficiently and in sync with the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
The shuffle caught the port fraternity unawares, including top management, but the CS announced that more changes will be effected soon.
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“We are worried, we don’t know the next move,” said a senior official Friday.
The government is seeking to ensure its directive for imported cargo to be ferried through the railway succeeds. However, stakeholders in the sector including those dealing with clearing and forwarding termed the move to force businessmen to use the railway as draconian.
“You cannot force people to use SGR. It is an arm of the government, it is a transporter like any other so they have to look for cargo on their own. Let them make people prefer them as opposed to the road but they should not be given business on silver platter,” Mr Peter Otieno, a clearing and forwarding agent said.
Mr Otieno, who is also the Car Importers Association of Kenya (CIAK) chairman posed: “I am speaking on my capacity as a clearing and forwarding agent. The move will affect the businesses of transporters and Container Freight Terminals (CFS). Where are we going to place these people working on the CFSs, petroleum fuel pumps and transport industry?”
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He said towns along Mombasa-Nairobi highway including Mazeras that have been depending on road transport will be ‘killed’ if all cargo is transported through SGR.
“CIAK will be affected by the directive. I will have to close shop if all containers are taken to Nairobi and my 10 workers will be rendered jobless,” he added. Mr Otieno said there are 1,200 clearing agents with offices in Mombasa.
But Mr Macharia said the government will not compromise on cargo transportation to Nairobi inland depot.
He said 28 million tonnes of cargo arrive through the port hence transporters should not be worried about loss of business when cargo is transported through the SGR.
