Source: eslse.et
Recently, standardmedia.co.ke reported that war-torn Ethiopia has shifted some of its imports and exports away from Djibouti's port to Kenya's Mombasa and Lamu ports, This is a blatant lies.
Cash-strapped Kenya has consistently and repeatedly offered its Mombasa and Lamu ports to landlocked Ethiopia which rely exclusively on Djibouti to conduct global trade, however, poverty and violence ravaged landlocked Ethiopia isn't interested in using Mombasa and Lamu ports for three very good reasons but it will definitely continue to pay lip service to Kenya’s government.
- Reason number one
War-torn Ethiopia, with a population of over 120 million imports and exports very little, its exports are mainly agricultural commodities such as coffee, cut flowers, very small gold, khat, fruits and vegetables, which account for over 98 percent of total export value, It's five times the value of what Djibouti, with a population of less than 1 million people imports and exports, One port is more than enough.
- Reason number two
There is no road connecting Mombasa and Lamu port to Isiolo therefor truck drivers cannot drive from Mombasa and Lamu ports to war-torn Ethiopia, The construction of 530 kilometers Lamu-Garissa-Isiolo road was started in 2016 but has never been completed but more importantly, the distance between Lamu port and Moyale Ethiopia border is 978 kilometers and the distance between Lamu port and Addis Ababa is 1.883 kilometers, while the distance between Djibouti port and Ethiopia's Afar region border is less than 150 kilometers, It takes less than two hour, on an average, for a truck to reach Ethiopia's Afar border, Now compare that to Mombasa and Lamu.
The total driving distance from Djibouti port to Ethiopia's Afar region border is less than 150 kilometers.
- Reason number three
Rampant cargo theft, bribery and corruption in Kenyan ports, Kenyan port staff and customs officials are stealing cargo containers bound for the neighbouring landlocked countries from Mombasa port.
Here are some examples
Thirteen port officials charged in Kenyan corruption clampdown
MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Thirteen port and customs officials were charged on Wednesday with stealing cargo containers and aiding tax evasion on freight at Kenya's Mombasa port
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN12X1VR
Mombasa port is ‘hijacked’ by cartels, brokers - DP Ruto
PROMISES: Deputy President William Ruto addresses Kwale residents at Kinarini in Matuga sub-county on Saturday, February 5, 2022.
Image: SHABAN OMAR.
Deputy President William Ruto has alleged that the Mombasa Port has been hijacked by corrupt leaders.
He said the port is surrounded by cartels and brokers who are interfering with the normal functioning of the port leaving Mombasa people in poverty.
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-02 ... rs-dp-ruto
How thieves accessed KPA systems to steal hundreds of containers
The usernames and passwords of two retired employees of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) were mysteriously activated and used to clear hundreds of containers at the Mombasa port, a court was told yesterday.
The hijacking of the two accounts led to losses amounting to Sh106 million in unpaid customs duty in one case where 124 containers were released before import duty was paid.
In another case, 150 containers were released without duty being paid on them using an account and password that were non-existent in official records.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article ... containers
Kenya: Drivers Accuse Police of Stealing Transit Goods
Nairobi — Police officers have been accused of working with dealers of electronic appliances to steal goods in transit on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
https://allafrica.com/stories/200609251270.html
Police recover in Uganda 7 out of 104 containers stolen from Mombasa port
Kenyan police in conjunction with their Ugandan counterparts and Interpol have made a breakthrough in the search and recovery of stolen goods worth Ksh267 million.
In a statement by the DCI, the detectives have recovered seven containers out of 104 shipped from India through the port of Mombasa.
https://www.citizen.digital/news/police ... rt-n328923
Goods stolen while in transit from Mombasa port recovered in Nairobi
Police have arrested a suspect Francis Victor Karua Gathii and recovered a consignment of goods worth sh.10 million that were stolen while in transit from Mombasa.
https://barakafm.org/2023/09/29/goods-s ... in-nairobi
Cargo theft on Northern Corridor still major threat to regional trade
Trucks parked by the roadside in Kikopey, Gilgil. FILE PHOTO | NMG
The Northern Corridor is becoming an unattractive route for transporters due to cargo thefts along the highway.
The Coast security committee said the cargo thefts and fuel siphoning from trucks plying Mombasa-Nairobi highway and the Northern Corridor are threatening the regional trade, warning that stern action would be taken against the culprits.
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/cor ... index.html
Billions lost as cargo theft hits Kenya Ports Authority
The Port of Mombasa risks losing its competitive edge following a wave of cargo theft that has hit the supply chain along the Mombasa-Malaba highway, importers and transporters have warned.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) describes the theft of the cargo as “a grave concern”
The Standard on Sunday established that officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission as well as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are expected in Mombasa this week to probe the alleged theft of more than 2,000 containers loaded with assorted items destined for Uganda in the last nine months.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/coast/a ... -authority
DCI probes container smuggling at Mombasa port
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is targeting three top executives of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) labelled key suspects in the racket involving release of containers through a manual system,
Western diplomats say it is also the main exit point for ivory poached in East Africa and smuggled to Asia, and has become a key entry point of heroin bound for Europe via East Africa.
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/ ... rt-3566564
Tighten cargo clearance controls at Mombasa port
The reported smuggling scandal at the port of Mombasa is a pointer to a failure in systems meant to prevent such acts at the key gateway, and will take more than a few arrests to resolve permanently.
It also has the effect of damaging the reputation of the port, which will be costly in an environment of intense competition with fellow East African ports for business.
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/ ... rt-3567492
End all illegal activities for growth at port
EDITORIAL By Editorial | October 2nd 2021
Last week, there were revelations that the DCI is probing container smuggling at the Port of Mombasa.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/editori ... th-at-port
Analysis into the corruption at Mombasa port
Alexander Farrow, Business Intelligence Officer at MAST comments on the investigation.
It has been reported that Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is working in partnership with international security agencies such as Interpol and Britain to assist with the investigation of corruption allegations involving cargo theft at the port of Mombasa.
The extent of the corruption is still unclear, but the involvement of Interpol and Britain among other nations suggests that this is a significant breach of the ports security.
https://mast-security.com/analysis-corr ... mbasa-port
These are old articles but nothing has changed since then.
Djibouti is irreplaceable, It has proved itself to be very reliable and trustworthy country but if miserable war-torn Ethiopia continues spreading blatantly lies about Djibouti, Djibouti would probably suspend the transit of imported and exported goods through its ports into war-torn Ethiopia.
