Kwale: Several multibillion shillings government projects in the Coastal County of Kwale are ready for commissioning. Area County Commissioner (CC), Stephen Orinde, says several projects are awaiting formal inauguration, while others are in their final stages of completion. Orinde says the government is committed to completing and commissioning all priority projects in the region. The CC was speaking when he chaired the National Government Development, County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee (NGD-CICMC) meeting, held at the County Commissioner’s Boardroom.
According to Kenya News Agency, the NGD-CICMC is a crucial platform for aligning efforts on major national government projects within counties. The meeting focused on critical national government projects and programs aimed at accelerating development within Kwale County. The Administrator called on stakeholders to focus on maintaining the infrastructure projects and other public facilities for posterity. He said some of the projects ready for commissioning include the Sh32.12 billion Dongo Kundu bypass and the Sh2.6 billion Shimoni fish port project. The Dongo Kundu Bypass, also known as the Mombasa Southern Bypass, is a major highway project that straddles Kwale and Mombasa counties. It connects Mombasa to the southern coast, providing an alternative to the congested Likoni Ferry, reducing travel time and improving connectivity for people residing in Mombasa, Kwale, and neighboring Tanzania.
The Shimoni Fish Port project is a completed, modern facility in Kwale managed by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). It is designed to boost the region’s blue economy by enhancing fish production, processing, and value addition. He revealed that projects nearing completion include the Sh1.8 billion Regional Centre for Marine Transport and Port Logistics at Kombai area of Kwale and the Sh500 million County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) project. Others are the Sh46 million Diani modern market and the Sh173 million Diani Airport expansion project.
Orinde said the Diani Market features modern stalls, cold storage facilities, improved sanitation, and parking, creating a clean and organized space for businesses to thrive. ‘Dongo Kundu bypass and Shimoni fish port project are awaiting official commissioning by President Wiliam Ruto, before the end of this year,’ said Orinde. ‘But as a Committee, we aim to ensure that all the priority projects are completed or nearing completion by the time the Head of State visits the coastal region, before the end of the year,’ he said.
The CC announced plans by the Committee to conduct an oversight inspection to ensure the project’s readiness. ‘Our impending visit will not be just a routine inspection as we want to ensure that when the president arrives, the projects are 100 per cent ready for inauguration,’ he said. He said the government is committed to undertaking projects that deliver value for money and serve the intended purposes. Orinde said the Shimoni Fish Port is poised to transform the region’s fishing industry by improving efficiency, reducing post-harvest losses, and creating new economic opportunities.
KPA Managing Director (MD), Capt. William Ruto, said the construction of the Shimoni Fish Port marks a significant milestone in the efforts to harness the potential of the blue economy sector. Capt. Ruto said the modern port dedicated solely to fish production, processing, and value addition will transform the local economy, increasing opportunities for the exportation of the finished products as well as local consumption. He said Shimoni port has the capacity to process up to 24,000 metric tons of fish annually for local consumption and exportation to the region and international markets. Additional critical facilities at the port include a dedicated fish processing plant, cold storage units, reefer stations, a power substation, an ice-making plant, a bio-digester, and a wastewater management system.
Ms. Esther Mazera, In-Charge of Government Delivery Unit (GDU) in Kwale and Secretary to the NGD-CICMC, said the project inspection tour is to ensure that projects are executed in accordance with the highest standards of quality, transparency, and accountability. ‘The Committee’s visit seeks to verify that all aspects of the projects meet the required standards before their official commissioning,’ she said. Ms. Mazera added that the planned inspections will focus on assessing the quality of construction, adherence to project timelines, and the implementation of safety measures.