President Uhuru Kenyatta has referred the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Act, 2019 to the House for consideration. Uhuru in a memorandum to Speaker Justin Muturi said the amendment passed last week, if left unchallenged, will disadvantage Kenya National Shipping Line whose majority shareholding is held by the Government and Kenya Ports Authority. “The President is concerned that the revival of the national shipping line will be greatly hampered and opportunities to create employment lost, especially for youth near maritime areas,” Muturi said. The amendment to the Merchant Shipping Act 2009 would have allowed KNSL to operate and maintain the terminal, CT2. During reviews of accounts of the moribund shipping line, the Public Investments Committee chaired by Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir red-flagged the deal on grounds it would benefit private companies.

Source: The Star June 20, 2019 15:11 UTC