Normal business in Kisumu came to a standstill on Wednesday, January 12, after President Uhuru Kenyatta made a surprise visit to the lakeside city.
Multiple media reports indicated that the president landed at the Kisumu port at around 2:45 pm aboard his military chopper.
While it was not immediately clear who had accompanied him, police officers who were keeping guard at the port restricted movement in and out of the facility.
A report by Citizen Digital indicated that after arriving, Uhuru headed to the Kenya shipyards section, which is within the port, to inspect the construction of the MV Uhuru II ship which is being built by the Kenya Navy in collaboration with a Dutch company.
He then flew to Mbita, Homabay County to inspect the course way and the ongoing dredging of Lake Victoria.
The Kisumu Port, which is billed as a game-changer in regional logistics, has been undergoing an upgrade since 2016.
The national government is angling to use the revamped port to actualise a multimodal transport system to serve East and Central Africa.
The facility has the potential of generating $60 billion worth of trade annually but currently only brings in about 10 per cent of this to the three big EAC economies.
Uhuru last visited Kisumu on June 1, 2021, during the 58th Madaraka Day celebrations held at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium.
During his address, President Uhuru lauded the sacrifice made by our forefathers who helped Kenya attain self-rule.
“Today we celebrate our war heroes who gave their all including their lives for us to live free. They sacrificed their freedoms and lives knowing fully well that sometimes those who sow fruits of freedom may never enjoy the fruits that follow,” the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces noted.
