South Sudan has officially received 10 hectares of land from
Kenya for the construction of a dry port in Naivasha to ease congestion at the
Port of Mombasa and improve cargo clearance for goods destined for the country,
the revenue authority said on Thursday.
The land, located within the Naivasha Special Economic Zone,
was formally handed over at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot on Wednesday.
It was allocated during the second term of former Kenyan President Uhuru
Kenyatta.
South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) Commissioner General
William Anyuon Kuol confirmed receipt of the land following a site visit,
according to a statement posted Thursday on the authority’s Facebook page.
“The place that has been given to us by the Government of
Kenya to the Government of South Sudan — we would like to assure the public,
especially the people of South Sudan, that today we have managed to see the
site and receive it officially,” Kuol said.
He said the land would be developed into an inland container
depot, also known as a dry port, and is expected to become operational within
four to five months.
Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General Humphrey
Wattanga said inland container depots are a key part of efforts to reduce
pressure at the Port of Mombasa, which is experiencing congestion due to rising
cargo volumes and regional trade disruptions.
“Most recently, we had post-election periods in Tanzania and
the recent elections in Uganda, where for a short time those particular markets
were not open,” Wattanga explained.
“More cargo from Dar es Salaam was directed to Mombasa, and
some cargo could not be evacuated to Uganda on time. These temporary
disruptions have contributed to congestion.”
Wattanga said Kenyan authorities were working with the Kenya
Ports Authority to implement measures to decongest the port, including moving
more cargo to inland depots such as Naivasha.
According to Kenya Ports Authority data, cargo throughput at
the Port of Mombasa reached 45.45 million metric tonnes in 2025, a 10.9%
increase from the previous year. South Sudan ranks third among countries whose
cargo transits through the port.
Officials said the Naivasha dry port is expected to improve
cargo movement, reduce delays and costs, and strengthen trade links between
South Sudan and the region.
