The Kenyan Cabinet has approved a Ksh6.9 billion budget for the development of an Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Naivasha in a bid to boost fortunes for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
On Thursday, State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena said the money will be used to develop an inland container depot, railway marshaling yard, logistics zone and public utility area.
“It will also fund other core enabling infrastructure to support the development of the Naivasha Special Economic Zone and the impending completion of SGR phase 2A,” said Ms. Dena in a statement to newsrooms.
The development of the ICD facility is viewed as critical to facilitating trade with other countries in the region including Uganda and South Sudan.
In recent times, President Uhuru Kenyatta has been working overtime to develop both Naivasha and Mombasa ports in an effort to give Kenya an edge and retain business from Uganda and South Sudan amidst growing competition from Tanzania.
President Kenyatta awarded Uganda and South Sudan free land in Naivasha in March and July respectively to build godowns to ease movement of goods at the dry port.
On September 8, Mr. Kenyatta announced that the first berth of the new Lamu Port will be opened in October.
“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 the entire Kenya,” he told hundreds of workers at the site while on a working tour of the Coast.
