On Sunday, July 9, Deputy President William Ruto took the Kenya Kwanza presidential campaigns to Mombasa County.
While drumming up for his 2022 presidential bid, he pledged to revert port operations to Mombasa in a move aimed at cutting off what he termed as Nairobi ‘cartels’.
The deputy president said the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) was a noble idea but had been taken over by State capture, thus making it a grandiose project with little benefit to the people.
“We will revert the port operations to Mombasa. We will ensure that the trains move 18 cargo trips per day from the current 9 and by so doing it will repay itself,” said Ruto.
But speaking during the groundbreaking of a KSh 90 billion Turkish Special Economic Zone (SEZ) next to the Naivasha Inland Container Depot (NICD) on Tuesday, July 26, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the project would not in any way affect or interfere with operations at the port of Mombasa.
The Head of State, who has bitterly fallen out with his deputy over 2022 succession politics, instead termed William Ruto’s remarks as populist and deceitful.
Kenyatta said the Naivasha ICD is developed to enhance the ease of cargo movement and handling in the country by reducing congestion at Mombasa Port, Nairobi ICD, and on the roads.
“A whole leader standing in public and saying look at these people, they have moved the railway and port to Naivasha. Surely, can I carry the ocean to Naivasha? Only God can do that,” Uhuru said an indirect reference to his deputy, Willial Ruto.
The president said the Turkish special economic zone would generate up to KSh 500 billion in annual revenue.
He further accused Ruto of double-speak, saying Kenyans have learned his political lies.
“I find no reason for someone to call Naivasha people his hustlers then go to Mombasa and say something different. double-speak is unacceptable,” said Uhuru.
