NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 19- President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed retired Vice Chief of Defence Forces Franklin Mghalu as chairperson of Kenya National Shipping Line.
Through a gazette notice dated August 5, 2022, Mghalu will chair the Board of Directors of the Kenya National Shipping line for a period of three years.
“In exercise of powers conferred by section 6(1) (a) of the State Corporation Act, I Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces appoints-LT.GEN (RTD) Levi Franklin Mghalu to be the chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenya National Shipping Line,” reads the notice.
President Kenyatta started plans to revive the Kenya National Shipping Line in 2018, saying it has the potential to contribute Sh304 billion into the country’s economy annually.
Kenya is moving an inch closer to owning its fleet of vessels as it seeks to revive its shipping line that had looked dead even after launching it.
On August 2, 2022 President Kenyatta showed that the plan was still on course after commissioning the Kisumu Shipyard Ltd, and the flotation of the MV Uhuru II. Once it’s fully up, it will form the first vessel under the Kenyan National Shipping Line.
The vessel was built by Kenya Defence Forces in partnership with the Dutch firm, Damen Shipyards, is still a rusty craft that will need final touches such as painting and retesting.
Plans to revive national shipping lines in East African port states had been deferred due to concerns that the companies did not have the capacity to operate to reclaim pole position in the maritime sector.
The sector has the potential of creating jobs and business opportunities for Kenyans.
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