This archive report was first published on 9 September 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's working tour of the Coast region has brought significant announcements for the Lamu Port project. The first berth of the multi-billion-shilling seaport is set to be opened next month, as the President revealed during a tour of the construction site on Sunday, September 8, 2019.
Speaking to workers at the site, Kenyatta expressed satisfaction with the progress of the construction, highlighting the project's potential to create numerous jobs for Kenyan youth upon completion. He also emphasized the significance of the seaport's opening, stating, "We will launch by seeing a ship dock here to offload cargo. Offloading of cargo will be the beginning of jobs not just for you alone but also for the youth of Lamu and entire Kenya."
Furthermore, Kenyatta announced plans to launch the construction of a crude oil pipeline from the Turkana oilfields to the Lamu Port. "Very soon we will start the construction of a pipeline to get oil from Turkana and bring it to this port," he said.
The President was accompanied by Chief of Defense Forces Gen. Samson Mwathethe and Coast Regional Coordinator John Elungata during the tour.
