The dockworkers union has asked the government to put on hold the concession plans of Mombasa and Lamu port services to pave the way for public participation.

Led by the dock workers union secretary general Simon Sang asked the government to reverse the plan, and restart it afresh, so that players can understand what it means for the sector. Sang blames the government for rushing things since as it stands, they have not been involved.

The proposed stakeholders are Mombasa county government, the dockworkers union, local communities, and politicians among others. He says they learnt about the matter when it was advertised, without stakeholder’s node.

The dockworkers union (DWU), which represents over 7,000 Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) workers, has therefore asked that the plan be stopped until the process is undertaken through public participation with involvement of all players.

“concession means there will be a decrease in direct employment at the Kenya ports Authority, but  there will be an increase of jobs outside the port, direct employment in the port we are like 7,000 people, if we concession, there is a possibility that the jobs will gradually decline to almost 5,000 jobs,”said Sang.

He added “The concession simply means there will be a plus outside to the bigger economy and a minus to the employment of Kenya ports authority, that is what happens,”.

Although they are not opposed to the concession plan, (DWU) top brass says concessioning some services in the two ports will directly affect their members, through decline of job opportunities.

“It is premature to ask the dockworkers union if it is in support of concessioning or not. The question should be the advantages of concessioning or remaining what we are today,” sang posed during a media briefing at the Union offices in Mombasa on Sunday.

The Port Workers Union says it understands that the concession process is under the Big Four Agenda and particularly the aspect of industrialization captured in the 2017-27 national strategic plan.

Sang says similar ports in the world like the port of Singapore have been successful, but according to Sang,in Kenya, the matter was being rushed without having all players directly involved in the plan.

“This is not a new project. It came into light in 2021-22 when it was hinted by the then cabinet secretary for treasury when he was approached by Dubai World with an offer to establish special economic zones in Lamu Mombasa, Kisumu and Naivasha,”said Sang.

Their concerns came after Azimio leader Raila Odinga said the plan for the concession of port services was shrouded in secrecy and without public participation as required in law. He said the Mombasa County government must be involved in the plan.

Raila was addressing the press in Mombasa after a closed-door meeting with ODM governors. He said the country was perturbed by the alleged privatization of Mombasa and Lamu ports.