Kenya ports Authority opens in Kigali

Officials of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) on, July 19, 2013 opened their new liaison offices in Kigali, that will bringing the Mombasa port services at the door steps of business men in Kigali.

KPA officials said that the office will also soon start its operations once the remaining work, such as entering data bases and bank accounts clearance procedures are sorted out among many others. The offices will also be expanded to the Democratic republic of Congo-which also has more cargo clearance in tones than Rwanda.

The Managing Director of KPA, Gichiri Ndua said that the liaison office in Kigali as a way of bringing the port closer to its users, to help clarify issues as they arise among the business community in rwanda, a move which comes after many years of discussing and making promises to open an office in Kigali.

“We decided to open this office because we recognized that Rwanda is our important trading partner. It is therefore incumbent upon us to ensure that this market is served well and to the satisfaction of the business community. We believe the Liaison Office will not only enhance awareness of the port performance among Rwandese public, but it will also respond to queries by port users” Ndua said.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure Hon. Eng. Michael Kamau, who officially opened the offices, also said that, the move would make the new Kenyan political will to move to work improving business in the region and removing non-tariff barriers.

He said that: “we did delay to this and we are only doing it 50 years after Rwanda’s independence. Our government is more than willing to be at the front of cooperating with Rwanda in doing business since most of our investors are here”

Rwanda, as a landlocked country, will fully benefit from this new initiative as the liaison office will bring the Mombasa sea port service next door in Kigali. The business community has in past had to travel to the Kenya to clear their good and sort out any grievances. Now the Kigali office will handle all the complaints and needs of the Rwanda importer and exports.