Leaders call for consultation on shipping line law

Coast MPs are divided on whether to support or not to support the amendment bill section 16 of the Merchant Shipping Act 2009 which is in the parliament.

The  Kenya Merchant shipping act 2009  restrict ship owners that no owner of a ship or person providing services of a  shipping line shall either  directly or indirectly, provide in the maritime industry the service of crewing agencies, pilotage, clearing and forwarding and port facilities operator.

Speaking in Bamba town during the homecoming party of Pwani university association president Fikirini Jacobs yesterday, Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga urged leaders from the region read and the advantage and disadvantage of the amendment before they come to the community and conduct public participation.

He said their wish is to see the KPA creating more jobs to the Coastal people rather than rendering them jobless.

Chonga also said that all the resources found at the coast should benefit the people from the Coast adding that soon he will table a motion in parliament to compel all the ships which are docking at the port of Mombasa to make sure that they employ 40 percent of its work force from the coast region.

His sentiments were echoed by his Ganze counterpart Teddy Mwambire who said that before the parliament amends that bill as the Coastal leaders they need enough time to analyze the act and make a collective statement that will benefit the Coast region.

Mwambire called upon the Coastal MPs who met at the Royal Court hotel in Mombasa two weeks ago to come out and implement the recommendation and resolution that they came up with in that meeting.

He said they have not consulted coast professionals on the act. Pwani University Student Association President Fikirini Jacobs accused Kilifi North MP Owen Baya and his Jomvu counterpart Badi Twalib for opposing the act that is intending to benefit the coastal people.

He urged the two MPs to tighten their noose in fighting for the rights of the Coastal people.