Wednesday 29 February 2012

The night Bus to Mombasa

After penning the piece on Lamu port ,I was send on an urgent assignment to Mombasa. I took the night bus. In fact, the 11o'clock bus, which is  the last bus from Nairobi.


As I watched the night pass-by I  noticed that a majority of the towns along this highway, from Mlolongo to Mazeras operate 24 hours. I noted road side Kiosks and vendors selling  fruits, vegetables, snacks and candies.


 Boda boda men were on hand waiting for any willing customer; Restaurants were up selling their stuff. In most of the towns, especially from Mtito Andei to Salama I counted not less than 50 long -haul trucks parked. That is business to the local economy folks.


As the night wore thin and day began to break, we approached Mombasa and the towns from Taru all the way to Mazera were a bee-hive of activity.


Since the thoughts of what could be in store for lamu were still fresh in my mind,I began to ask: Is this what is in store for  lamu and the long stretch of arid land to Moyale and beyond? 


The opening of Lamu Port is not just good news for Ethiopia and south Sudan. But even the folks along its route will gain immensely. Soon we shall find the entire route open 24 hour a day. No wonder the port, it is said, will generate an additional three percent to Kenya's Gross domestic Product, GDP. The Port will also gain  in status when it links with the Mombasa-Addis  road at Isiolo.  see http://eaers.blogspot.com/2012/02/road-that-open-950million-volume-of.html

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