This archive report was first published on 2 October 2019.
On October 2, 2019, the renovation of Kenya's third-largest port was nearing completion, with the country awaiting the synchronization of regional presidential diaries for the official launch ceremony.
Indications were that all six presidents in the larger East African region would attend the event, including John Magufuli of Tanzania, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Salva Kiir of South Sudan, and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The port had been refurbished at a cost of Sh3 billion, with plans to modernize it further in a project funded by the World Bank to the tune of Sh22.5 billion.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development Raila Odinga would host the event, which would be historic due to the economic benefits that citizens in the region would draw from the port.
The port's connections would not only boost the economy but also cement regional ties, allowing for the amalgamation of resources, natural and human, into a single unit with uniform rules of trade and a universal monetary regime.
Estimates suggested that if the Domestic Product (GDP) of individual states in the region were combined, it would be greater than most countries in the developed world.
The region's geographical location was also strategic, with a massive 150 million people speaking in one voice and inching closer to a marriage of souls.
However, the intended integration would bring more than just economic benefits; it would also achieve advanced social and political cohesion, ironing out internal squabbles and inter-country rivalries.
