By Joshua Cheloti

The government has rolled out plans aimed at ensuring the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone project is operationalized by 2024.

As part of the plan, Trade and Industrialization Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria on January 16, 2023, chaired a technical coordination committee aimed at fast-tracking the operationalization of the project.

The meeting held at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) headquarters was attended by project partners and stakeholders.

In a tweet, CS Kuria said the government was rolling out several key initiatives as well as supporting external and internal infrastructure aimed at making the site investor ready by 2024.

Among the initiatives include the implementation of the resettlement action plan for the persons that will be affected by the project.

Others include demarcation and tilting of land for lease to investors, completion of the Dongo Kundu Bypass as well as the construction of the Dongo Kundu Berth.

Construction of the Dongo Kundu Port Access Road, completion of the Special Economic Zone administration building and boundary wall, as well as Construction of the Industrial Standard Supply Utility Network, is other initiatives CS Kuria said were being implemented.

“In parallel, the State Department for Investment Promotion under my ministry will be rolling out local, regional and international Investment Promotions to attract and facilitate early investor entry to the Dongo Kundu SEZ,” the CS added.

Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone sits on a 3,000-acre development project in Mombasa initiated by the Jubilee government.

It is expected to have an export-processing zone (EPZ), industrial parks, and free trade zones, as well as other auxiliary services such as tourism, meeting, conferencing and exhibitions once complete.

It is also expected to have zoned residential areas for workers.

Funding of the project is under the JICA loan scheme that has been structured as a Ksh6 billion grant and a Ksh50 billion concessional loan payable within 30 years with a grace period of 12 years.