This comes as anxiety over Monday poll results continue to halt off-loading of cargo from ships at Mombasa port as well as its transport to inland destinations.
By close of business yesterday, most transporters and shippers as well as several container freight stations had either scaled down their operations or shut down.
slowed operations
This has further raised concerns that delayed cargo flow could also disrupt movement of goods to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi who use the Mombasa port.
“While we are yet to experience any hitches, most of the container freight stations have remained shut over the past two days. A few shipping lines are operational while most have shut down their offices,” said William Ojonyo, Chief Executive of Keynote Logistics Ltd. “If this situation goes on, we could soon have a pile up at the port.”
Although no insecurity has been reported on Kenya’s Northern Corridor-a vital road and rail linking the Mombasa port to Malaba, there appears to be lack of co-ordination between the various players, especially transporters and shipping companies. “Most of the shipping companies are yet to open for business, implying that no cargo is leaving the port. The clock is ticking and we could soon begin experiencing cargo congestion at the port,” said Ojonyo.
While the Northern Corridor is secure, no cargo is moving through it due to the anxiety caused by delays in announcing final poll results.
The cargo that has been offloaded is being put into warehouses, attracting punitive storage charges. “There are no goods being transported from the Mombasa port to inland stations such as Nairobi and major urban centres,” said Aggrey Adoli, Coast Provincial Police Officer.
Due to delayed cargo clearance, a number of transport companies have resorted to maintenance of their vehicles, awaiting the final outcome of the polls. All fresh produce markets within Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret are already experiencing supply shortages, leading to increase in retail prices.
Most transport companies have halted business while awaiting the polls outcome. A spot check revealed only a thin flow of trucks on the usually busy Mombasa Road. “Mombasa area is relatively peaceful after security agencies gained control following Monday attack of police officers,” said Adoli.
Khan Amin, one of the transporters said business is completely down. He is currently doing and is now doing maintenance work on the vehicles awaiting the poll outcome.
-Standard Digital
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