This archive report was first published on 4 August 2019.
On Saturday, President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto, and Opposition leader Raila Odinga visited the Kisumu inland port to assess the progress of the ongoing rehabilitation works.
The trio's visit came after attending Dr. Joyce Laboso's burial ceremony in Koru, where Deputy President Ruto made a significant statement about supporting the peace pact between President Kenyatta and Mr. Odinga.
Deputy President Ruto's statement marked a change in his previous stance on the peace pact, which he had previously criticized, accusing Mr. Odinga of insincerity and scheming to scuttle the ruling Jubilee Party.
Despite their differences, the three leaders have insisted that their interests are purely for the good of Kenyans and that 2022 politics has not featured on their discussion table.
During their visit to the Kisumu port, the three leaders were accompanied by Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o and top government officials.
They toured the port, including the Marine School and the dockyard where the MV Uhuru ship cargo is berthed, and later drove to the adjacent Kisumu State Lodge.
The government has put in place urgent measures to complete the Sh3 billion project ahead of the launch later this month, with both President Kenyatta and Mr. Odinga visiting the port twice last month.
East African heads of state are expected to attend the launch event on August 15, which is set to signal the journey towards the revival of the blue economy in the lake region and position Kisumu strategically in marine activities.
