A steel worker works in the Tudor area of Mombasa on March 7, 2013. Many businesses have gone back to work after a few days break during Kenya´s general elections on March 4, 2013. AFP PHOTO
Normal operations resumed in Mombasa on Friday, with business people opening stalls and shops even as they awaited the outcome of the presidential vote tally.
Kenya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Mombasa branch chairman James Mureu said businesses had suffered immense losses, even though the chamber had not yet come up with figures.
“People closed their businesses since last Friday on the weekend to the Monday election day and only resumed Friday. It’s been a week of tension and anxiety and we hope everything goes well,” he said.
According to Amos Mbugua, chairman Mitumba Traders Association at Kongowea market, most people had not resumed work, a situation that was creating more tension. Some traders at the market had reported losses of up to Sh100,000 each, with those selling second hand shoes the most affected, he said.
“We are all anxiously waiting for the final result but I urge my colleagues to reopen their businesses since we have not had any incidents of insecurity since we voted. This will dispel fears because when customers go the shops and find them closed they get more worried,” he added.
At the Mombasa port, operations were expected to normalise after four days of a slow uptake of cargo, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) corporate affairs manager Bernard Osero said.
“On Monday we did not have any truck picking containers but starting Tuesday deliveries have been picking up. Yesterday, 966 twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) were delivered compared to 731 on Thursday,” he said.
He added: “Trucks have also started carrying containers destined to neighbouring countries and transporters have been urged to send more trucks to the port. This is after they were assured of security along the Northern Corridor.”
The Container Freight Station Association of Kenya (CFSK) chief executive Daniel Nzeki said they had resumed operations since Tuesday, and urged clearing agents and importers to pick their goods from the facilities before they pile up.
“We have been operating normally and we don’t see any danger so far, although we understand the source of transporters’ anxiety. They should be confident of the security measures in place and resume normal operations,” he said.
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