Traders who use Mombasa port in Kenya have supported the recommendation that the port should be run by private companies to increase its efficiency.This comes after recent findings by the Society for International Development (SID) concluded that the port should be declared “East Africa hot zone” and given independence.The Society for International Development (SID) is an international network of individuals and organisations, founded in 1957 to promote social justice and foster democratic participation.The port run by Kenya Ports Authority has always been criticised for the bureaucratic problems and delays that hinder trade on the Northern Corridor.Mombasa port serves the hinterland of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi South Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.A recent tour of the two regional ports by EAC ministers established that more trade barriers were still hampering Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. Joseph Lawrence, a Tanzanian, in an interview with The New Times observed that there was no need for the two ports to be under their respective governments adding that they should instead be governed as a regional property.“We are in the East African Community where we need to harmonise everything. It’s not only Mombasa port but also the Dar port...they should both be given to independent companies to eliminate these hindrances,” he noted.Lawrence further observed that the two ports being under their governments creates negative attitudes towards other land locked countries like Rwanda and Burundi.According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Francois Kanimba, the region needs effective ports regardless of who owns them. “What we need is efficiency of the ports’ management whether under the Kenyan government or private,” he said. Janet Nkubana, Chairperson of Exporters Association, an arm of the Private Sector Federation (PSF) was in support of the port’s privatisation noting that government institutions usually perform poorly.“If it’s privatised, the owner will be interested in proper performance and efficiency thus benefiting the traders in the process. It’s not managed efficiently because the workers are not motivated since it’s a government property.” However an official from Kenya port Authority was quoted by media in Kenya saying all problems at the port are caused by poor infrastructure.“We are off-loading more containers than we can take out; we normally off-load as many as 2,000 containers a day but due to bad roads and excessive weighbridges we can only take out 1,300 containers a day,” said communications manager at Kenya Ports Authority, Hajj Masemo.The port normally has about 700 uncollected containers daily leading to a build up of cargo in the port. A recent report “The state of EAC” indicated that infrastructure deficit was still a challenge in the region. It called for more investment to triumph over the current challenges.It’s estimated that 95% of East Africa’s cargo is carried by road, this presents significant difficulties since 91% of East Africa’s road network is unpaved.However, last year, Kenyan Members of Parliament threatened to protest if the port is privatised.“We will oppose this plan of privatisation and I intend to sponsor a motion in Parliament to show that we don’t want to take the loss of jobs for more than 4,000 people lying down, Garsen MP, Danson Mungatana was quoted saying.
