To Bolster Bilateral Relations
Kenya Vice President Musyoka urged the leaders in the
region to reduce poverty levels among the residents
NAIROBI,(Xinhua) -- Kenya and Tanzania have discussed a wide range of issues to boost bilateral relations and help deepen East Africa regional integration.
The discussion covered the up-scaling of cross border investment, joint marketing of East Africa as a single tourism destination, standardization of road design, harmonization of axle road regimes, joint wildlife conservation and water border resource policies.
Theft of motor vehicles smuggled across borders, cross-border human and drug trafficking and cattle rustling were also topics in the hour-long bilateral talks held on Tuesday at Serena Hotel , Nairobi .
Kenya Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka who led the Kenyan delegation to the talks assured that the goals set by the leaders of the East African union will be realized.
Musyoka urged the leaders in the region to partner in various projects in order to reduce the poverty levels among the residents, saying unemployment levels were very high among the youths.
Tanzanian Vice President Ali Mohamed Shein headed his country's delegation comprising one minister and four members of parliament.
He said the technical teams working on the implementation of the Joint Commission for Cooperation ( JCC ) should fast track the process so that the JCC can be implemented fully.
He said the outstanding issues leading to free movement of tourists between Tanzania and Kenya will be addressed.
Kenya 's Transport Minister Ali Mwakwere praised the partner-ship between Kenya Airways and Precision Air of Tanzania, saying the two airlines complimented each other to make air transport in the region efficient.
He also said Ports of Dar-es-Salaam and Mombasa have an understanding to allow goods to be off-loaded either in Dar-es- Salaam or Mombasa when there is congestion in either port.
Kenya 's Roads Minister Franklin Bett proposed the standardization of roads design and axle road regime for the region in order to ensure that transportation of goods across the region is harmonized.
Source: Coastweek:
http://www.coastweek.com/3305-14.htm
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Kenya, Tanzania to exchange research findings
Written By:VPPS , Posted: Thu, Jan 28, 2010
Kenya and Tanzania will explore means of bilateral cooperation in the fields of research and development, Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Ali Mohammed Shein has said.
Dr. Shein stressed on the need for exchange of research findings among institutions in the region for the benefit of the citizens of the two nations.
He at the same time pointed out that it was crucial for patent regional research findings and enhance marketing strategies for locally manufactured drugs and vaccines emanating from local findings.
The Tanzanian Vice President made the remarks Wednesday at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) on his three day official tour in Kenya.
Dr. Shein who is accompanied by his wife Mrs. Mwanamwema Shein and a host of 18 member delegation which included Cabinet Ministers, Senior Government officials and CEO's of various private sector institutions.
The VP later, toured the Sameer Industrial Park, the Safaricom call centre along Mombasa Road, and the ongoing Athi River, Namamga, Arusha, Mombasa Highway Interchange road construction.
The visiting Tanzanian leader and his delegation was thereafter hosted for a luncheon by the host government in the presence of his Kenyan counterpart, Mr. Kalonzo Musyoka, Minister for Information and Commutations, Mr Samuel Poghisio and Public Service Minister, Mr. Dalmas Otieno.
Among the dignitaries present included President of Southern Sudan, Dr. Salva Kiir and several members of the diplomatic Corps.
Dr. Shein along the Tanzanian delegation later left Nairobi for Mombasa, where he is scheduled to visit several development projects including Bombolulu Cultural Centre, the Kenya Ports Authority and Kengen Power Station among others.
On Tuesday, the Tanzanian delegation had an extensive tour of KARI Muguga, World Agro forestry Centre, Gigiri, the on-going construction of the Nairobi -Thika Highway and Yatta Farm in Yatta district.
During the tour, Dr. Shein was accompanied by Ministers Frankilin Bett (Roads) and Mr Ali Chirau Mwakwere (Transport).
They were later joined by Mr. Musyoka.
Kari earns top marks from Dar
East African Community partner states have been urged to contribute funds to upgrade the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute into a regional body.
Speaking after touring the institute on Tuesday, visiting Tanzanian Vice-President Ali Mohamed Shein praised the research work at the centre, noting that the equipment at the institute would adequately serve the region.
He also challenged agricultural researchers in the five partner states to forge close working relations to develop crop varieties that will withstand the region’s climatic conditions and ensure food security.
“From what I have seen today, anyone who wants quality research in agriculture does not need to go far. Just come to Kari,” he said.
Food sufficiency
Mr Shein said that his country would cooperate with Kenya in agricultural research to ensure food sufficiency for the people of the EAC.
“Our two countries have committed to continue working closely on areas of common interest such as agriculture,” he said.
Dr Shein commended the partner states for increasing budgetary allocation to agriculture from 0.01 per cent to one per cent. “This is a lot of money, but we still need more to counter the effects of climate change and other challenges,” he said.
Kari is the most advanced agricultural research centre in East Africa and agriculture still remains the economic backbone of the five EAC partner states.
Peak of famine
The Tanzanian Vice-President was accompanied by Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere, Agriculture assistant minister Gideon Ndambuki, the Home Affairs permanent secretary, Dr Ludeki Chweya, and the director of Kari, Dr Ephraim Mukisira.
Mr Ndambuki thanked Tanzania for accepting to export maize to the country at the peak of the famine last year.
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Tour operators back charging of ferries fee
Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere suggested over the weekend that people who board the ferries pay a shilling each so that Kenya Ferry Services can purchase new vessels.
The newly elected Kenya Association of Tour Operators (Kato) Coast branch chairperson, Ms Monika Solanki, said that the proposal could work if commuters get better services at the Likoni channel.
Be willing
Ms Solanki said ferry users would be willing to pay the fee if it were put to good use.
“Paying for ferry services is not an issue. Our major concern is whether the funds collected will be managed well,” the official said.
She, however, wondered why the public was being called upon to raise funds for new ferries, yet the government set aside cash for such uses.
Mr Mwakwere said if ferry passengers pay Sh1 per trip, then Kenya Ferry Services could raise Sh6 million a month.
There have been frequent complaints about ferry services at the Likoni channel due to frequent breakdowns.
Ms Solanki was elected unopposed as the chairperson of Kato in Coast region
She takes over from Ms Tasneem Adamji, while Mr David Ngunjiri was elected as the region’s vice-chairman.
Ms Solanki said some of the issues they would like the government to address urgently include the implementation of the Dongo Kundu by-pass to ease ferry woes.
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RVR managing director Roy Puffet and Kenya Transport minister Ali Mwakwere and Eng. John Byabagambi Minister for works Uganda (Right) during the launch of the Rift Valley Railways in Nairobi.
KENYAN GOVT TO ESTABLISH ECONOMIC ZONE AROUND MOMBASA
MOMBASA, KENYA, Jan 25 (NNN-KNA) --
The Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Transport, intends to establish an exclusive economic zone ten miles north and south of th Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa by establishing road by-passes and mini-ports in an effort to attain goals enshrined in the country's Vision 2030.Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere says the government, through the National Economic and Social Council and the Directorate of Vision 2030, has already hired an infrastructure consultant from Singapore to carry out a feasibility study in the area stretching from Diani in Kwale district to Mtwapa in Kilifi district on how to enhance infrastructural development to drive the development blueprint forward.
Mwakwere was speaking over the weekend while conducting a group of technocrats from his ministry led by the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Dr. Cyrus Njiru, the Executive Secretary of the Vision 2030 directorate, Dr. Mugo Kebati, the Chief Executive of the National Economic Council, Dr. Julius Muia, and the Singapore based consultant, Dr. Victor Koh, on a tour of the area where the proposed Dongo-Kundu by-pass to link Mombasa island to the mainland and a site in Mtwapa for mooring boats and ships.The minister said the government would soon release a blueprint of the infrastructural projects identified to jump-start the realisation of Vision 2030 in Coast Province, especially in the areas of tourism, shipping, road infrastructure and enhanced business opportunities for Kenyans outside the country.Mwakwere said since Mombasa Island could no longer hold most of the infrastructural development being envisioned in the development roadmap, there was a need to explore land outside the island, especially the land immediately outside the Likoni suburbs and Mtwapa.He said through the economic blueprint of Vision 2030, the government also intended to put up mini cities and resorts outside major urban centres like Mombasa and Nairobi in an effort to decongest the central business ditricts (CBDs) of the country's big towns.These mini cities, the minister said, would have schools, well-paved and lighted streets and business centres equipped with office infrastructure in order to discourage the movement into CBDs in the morning which causes traffic snarl-ups and loss in business hours.--
NNN-KNA
The Likoni Ferry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzV-RKz-FRk&feature=channel
Govt to establish by-passes, mini-ports
Written By:KNA , Posted: Sun, Jan 24, 2010
The government, through the ministry of Transport, intends to put an exclusive economic zone ten miles north and south of Mombasa by establishing road by-passes and mini-ports in an effort to attain the goals enshrined in the Vision 2030.
The minister for Transport, Chirau Ali Mwakwere, said the government, through the National Economic and Social Council and the Directorate of the Vision 2030, has already hired an infrastructure consultant from Singapore to do a feasibility study in the ten mile area stretching from Diani in Kwale district to Mtwapa in Kilifi district on how to enhance infrastructural development to drive the development blueprint forward.
Mwakwere was speaking while conducting a group of technocrats from his ministry led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Cyrus Njiru, the Executive Secretary of the Vision 2030 directorate, Dr. Mugo Kebati, the Chief Executive of the National Economic Council, Dr. Julius Muia and the Singapore based consultant, Dr.Victor Koh, on a tour of the area where the proposed Dongo-Kundu by-pass to link Mombasa island to the mainland South coast and a site in Mtwapa for mooring boats and ships.
The Transport minister said the government will soon give a blue print of the infrastructural projects identified to jump start the realisation of the Vision 2030 in Coast province especially in the areas of tourism, shipping, road infrastructure and enhanced business opportunities for Kenyans in the outside world.
Mwakwere said since Mombasa Island could no longer hold most of infrastructural developments being envisioned in the development roadmap, there was need to explore land outside the island especially the land immediately outside the Likoni suburbs and Mtwapa.
He said through the economic blueprint of the Vision 2030 the government also intends to put up mini cities and resorts outside major urban centres like Mombasa and Nairobi in an effort to decongest the CBD's of the country's big towns.
These mini cities, the minister said, will consist of schools, well paved and lighted streets and business centres equipped with office infrastructure in order to discourage movement into the CBDs in the morning which causes traffic snarl ups and loss in business hours.
The Transport minister reiterated that the Kenya Ferry Services will soon withdraw two dilapidated ferries from the Likoni crossing channel for major rehabilitation through purchase of new engines once the two ferries which are being awaited from Germany this March are deployed.
''The old vessels, which were imported from Singapore 20 years ago, will be temporarily grounded to give engineers time to source for engines whose spare parts are available in the open market since the ones in use are no longer being manufactured,'' said the minister.
He said once the new ferries start operations and the old ones rehabilitated fully, the nightmare being experienced by commuters and motorists at the busy channel will be a thing of the past.
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NEW KENYAN RAILWAY “ON COURSE”
Posted on 22 January 2010 by Railways Africa Editor
Kenya’s planned new standard gauge railway is “on course”, transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere says. Evelyn Njoroge of Nairobi-based Butterfly News quotes him explaining that the agreement with Rift Valley Railways (RVR) initially blocked the proposed development. It stipulated that the two governments could not construct a line within 35km on either side of the existing railway. Eventually agreement was reached that a new line may be constructed without restrictions.
It had been hoped to start building the new line in June 2009, “after the government pledged to fast-track the signing of the bilateral agreement with Uganda to ensure that it becomes operational in the next two to three years,” Njoroge writes. Mwakwere, she added, is confident that the project is “on schedule”. Some three months ago, advertisements had been placed, inviting companies to submit expressions of interest, and bids are currently being evaluated. evaluating the bids,” he said. Certain firms, the minister said, “had volunteered to conduct the feasibility study and design at their own cost.”
According to Njoroge, the government is seeking “a private partner to help it raise the Sh196 billion (about $US2.5bn) it requires to fund the new railway whose total construction costs are estimated at Sh300 billion (about $US4bn). Mwakwere said that the line will initially be diesel-electric powered but this would be switched to a fully electric line once the country’s energy capacity and supply is reliable.
“The line will also extend from Kampala to the north past Gulu and into Southern Sudan and to Kigali, Rwanda and Bujumbura to the west.”
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SINGAPORE SIGNS AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH KENYA
On 18 January 2010, Singapore and Kenya signed an Air Services Agreement (ASA) at the Istana, Singapore. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, the Right Honourable Raila Odinga witnessed the signing of the ASA by Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Raymond Lim, and Kenya’s Minister for Transport, Honourable Ambassador Chirau Ali Mwakwere.
2 Under the Air Services Agreement, air carriers from Singapore and Kenya have the flexibility to operate any number of air services between and beyond both countries, albeit with some restrictions on passenger services by Singapore carriers between Kenya and selected third countries.
3 “This Agreement is a reflection of the warm ties between Singapore and Kenya, and underscores the commitment of both countries to cooperation on civil aviation and the liberalisation of air services”, said Minister Lim. He added, “With this agreement, Singapore and Kenyan air carriers will now have the flexibility to plan their commercial operations to capitalise on market opportunities in both countries.”
4 At present, Singapore Airlines Cargo operates three weekly freighter services to and beyond Kenya.
Issued by: Ministry of Transport, Singapore
Date: 18 January 2010
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