Murkomen Responds After Ships Dump Tanzania Port For Mombasa
Murkomen further lauded the port's capability of efficiently handling equipment as well as machine and technological operations in ensuring that the port runs smoothly
Marvin Chege 
The saga surrounding the massive congestion of ships experienced at Dar es Salaam port in Tanzania, which made them choose Mombasa Port in Kenya as an alternative has drawn the attention of Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
In a statement on Friday, December 29, the CS commended the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) management and team members in his ministry for ensuring efficiency at the Mombasa Port.
Murkomen further lauded the port's capability of efficiently handling equipment as well as machine and technological operations in ensuring that the port runs smoothly amidst an influx of ships diverting to Mombasa from Dar.
Image of the Dar es Salaam port. /FILE
He added that he would seek out the private sector for investments in the port through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
"I am very proud of the work we are doing at KPA. I congratulate the KPA Board and Management together with my team members at the Ministry, the investment we have made especially in the equipment/machines and technology, together with improved management is bearing fruit.
"We shall leverage on private sector investment through PPP to make our Port even more competitive," he stated on X (formerly Twitter).
His statement came after David Ndii, the Chairperson of President William Ruto's Council of Economic Advisors (CEA), cleared the air surrounding the congestion of ships at Dar es Salaam port following criticism from Azimio la Umoja politicians who claimed ships were favouring the Tanzanian port over Mombasa.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina shared a video alleging that several ships were lining up to dock at Dar es Salaam, claiming that it was at the expense of the Mombasa port.
The senator attributed this to the strained neighbouring ties caused by the Kenya Kwanza regime.
"Mr William Ruto, have you seen the ship traffic in Dar Salaam? What is your advisor David Ndii telling you about it? This used to be Kenya when we had good leadership at the top! Remember that?" he posed.
Ndii however countered Olekina by stating that the queues were due to the inefficiency at the Dar es Salaam port, stating "These are not cows. It is a traffic jam due to inefficiency, up to 16 days waiting time compared to Mombasa one day. Many ships are diverting to Mombasa."
Furthermore, the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) suspended the bagging of loose cargo inside Dar es Salaam Port to reduce the number of waiting ships and cause congestion in the facility.
TPA officials, in a letter to port stakeholders, explained that the move was meant to increase the number of waiting ships, which reached 40. This afforded the port time to evacuate cargo and reduce waiting time for ships at the outer anchorage.
The letter was addressed to major loose cargo operators in Dar port, including Export Trade Group Yara Tanzania Company, Zenj General Merchandise and Premium Agro.
“Due to the current line-up (sic) of vessels at the outer anchorage waiting for berthing, we wish to inform you that bagging of cargo inside the port will be temporarily suspended to evacuate and reduce waiting time at outer anchorage,” read the letter which Ndii shared.
According to Ndii, the Dar es Salaam port recorded 16 days of waiting time, followed by Djibouti with five days and Mombasa recorded the lowest waiting time of one day.
