​REMARKS BY BOARD CHAIRMAN GEN. (Rtd) JOSEPH KIBWANA, CBS, EGH, DURING THE KENYA PORTS AUTHORITY GOLF TOURNAMENT AT NYALI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB ON 21^ST NOVEMBER 2020.

The Managing Director,

Board Members present,

Nyali Golf & Country Club Chairman

The Club Captain Ameen Dhanji,

Distinguished Stakeholders and Golfers,

Members of the fourth estate,

Good evening!

It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to welcome you to the Kenya Ports Authority Corporate Golf Tournament - Mombasa edition.

We appreciate the tremendous support you have accorded us over the years and your willingness to spend the whole day with us, especially during these uncertain times is an illustration of  not only true sportsmanship, but deep friendship.

I also wish to commend the Club Chairman together with his team of management for your hospitality and exceptional services, as well as ensuring that today's function adheres to Covid-19 guidelines as set by the Ministry of Health. 

On behalf of Kenya Ports Authority, Asanteni sana!

Distinguished guests,

To begin with, I would like to acknowledge the uncertain times that are upon us. This year has been fraught with challenges key being the Covid-19 pandemic which has forced a reset to our normal routines.

But as humans our resilience knows no bounds and we always find a reason to look on the bright side as we face our setbacks head on. Kenya Ports Authority is no exception because through all the difficulties that came with Covid-19, we have remained optimistic and worked hard to ensure minimal disruptions to business.

I also wish to appreciate our customers and stakeholders for the cooperation you have exhibited all through this period.  Our efforts alone would have come to naught, if not for your teamwork and willingness to make adjustments.

Port Performance in times of uncertainty

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I had earlier mentioned, 2020 has not been our best year; we are in uncharted path and this is already reflected in our port performance.  We have recorded a slight dip in cargo handled at the Port of Mombasa but nonetheless, a recovery strategy has been formulated which advocates for a strengthened partnership between the public and private sectors for a business comeback.

Additionally, we are advocating for a coordinated regional and multi-sectoral approach on handling Covid-19, to ensure we reduce bottlenecks and see to it that supply chains are not disrupted as countries move to ease restrictions.

Towards this end, we have partnered with the county government of Mombasa in supporting the testing for covid-19 for drivers at Mariakani. This has really improved truck turn-around and reduced congestion at the Port as well as along the busy corridor.

We also continue to consult with the national government, our stakeholders and our partner agencies on policies that will ensure business continuity as we navigate through this pandemic.

We are keeping up with our infrastructural developments to improve our efficiency and service delivery which is at the core of our values.

We have made progress in our investments in small ports which is our next focus as we seek to tap into the Blue economy.  Currently, we have commenced an environmental Impact Study at Shimoni before we begin the construction of the port which will be a premier fishing port in the country. It has been advertised in the media for stakeholders to give their views on Environmental impact of the project in the last two days. This and the many projects we are implementing will improve our capacity and competitiveness in the future.

I understand going forward that our deliberations may not always take the usual form of face to face encounters that we have grown accustomed to. But our resolve to maintain excellent customer experience will not be deterred by this minor setback, which by the way shall come to pass as well.

We are therefore always at hand to engage you through the phone, on e-conferences or on email for whatever issue that needs our attention.

With these few remarks, thank you for honouring our invitation and we look forward to engaging you in the near future.