Kenya: Prime Minister Speaks at Ground Breaking Ceremony of Proposed Lamu Port

Prime Minister Raila Odinga guaranteed the viability of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport and Economic Development Corridor(Lapsset) saying it is literally the road towards the realization of the African century and African dream.

With state of the art transport network, he added, Lapsset will open markets in Asia, Middle east, Europe and America for business in North Eastern Kenya,Uganda, Sudan Ethiopia and even the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mr. Odinga was speaking in Lamu during the official ground breaking ceremony of the proposed Lamu port that was performed by President Kibaki , South Sudan President Salva Kiir Maydit and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Noting that all over the world, political leaders and investors alike are watching Africa with great expectations, the PM expressed hope that Africa may be the engine that will pull the global economy out of the present quagmire.

Said the Prime Minister, “In areas which are marginalized at present, you will see manufacturing plants. You will see tourism. You will see irrigated large scale farming. Hundreds of thousands of jobs will sprout. The arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya will be transformed.”

Once again , Mr. Odinga allayed fears that local residents risked losing land to the project, and hastened to add that no one will be allowed to grab land in in Lamu. “Instead owners will be adequately compensated for their land,” he added.

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Dredging Today Staff, March 7, 2012