Kenya’s Kisumu Port is emerging as a key inland logistics hub, with the latest data from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) showing an impressive growth in cargo throughput.
In 2024 alone, the port processed 109,381 metric tonnes of cargo across 67 vessel movements, putting it on track to reach KPA’s ambitious target of 223,500 metric tonnes by the end of 2025.
According to KPA, the total cargo handled at Kisumu reached 280,381 metric tonnes, more than double the 116,578 MT recorded in 2023, representing a 142% year-on-year increase.
Much of this growth is attributed to a sharp rise in vessel traffic, with 115 ships calling at the port in 2023, the highest in recent years and increased cargo demand from regional markets.
Infrastructure projects in Uganda have further stimulated the movement of goods across Lake Victoria, making Kisumu a crucial gateway to the East African interior.
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Export data highlights fuel shipments (gas oil) as the dominant commodity, accounting for 58% of outbound trade. This is followed by ceramic tiles (23%), construction materials and steel billets (13%), and bagged fertilizers (6%).
Key destinations include Jinja and Port Bell in Uganda, as well as Mwanza in Tanzania.
To bolster future growth, KPA is investing in the development and rehabilitation of six feeder ports along Lake Victoria.
These include Sio Pier and Port Victoria in Busia County, Asembo Bay Pier (Siaya), and Kendu Bay, Homa Bay, and Mbita Piers. These developments are expected to streamline cargo distribution and expand trade routes across the lake basin.
The East African Community (EAC) continues to serve as Kenya’s principal export market, accounting for 70.2% of the country’s total African trade revenue, with Uganda and Tanzania—the two Lake Victoria neighbors leading in bilateral commerce.
Kisumu’s growing fleet of regularly operating vessels now includes Orion III, Uhuru II, MT Elgon, MT Kabaka Mutebi III, MV Munanka, Mango Tree, and MV Noris, which have established consistent shipping routes through the port.
With robust infrastructure investment, rising cargo demand, and consistent regional partnerships, Kisumu Port is positioned to not only meet but possibly exceed its 2025 throughput target, reinforcing Kenya’s strategic position in East Africa’s inland waterway trade.
