 |
Kenya Ports Authority MD Dr. Arch. Daniel Manduku flanked by Changamwe member of parliament Omar Mwinyi at Airport special school on Saturday during the laying of a foundation stone of Airport Secondary School.The MD was the chief guest. Photo by Peter Kombe
|
Kenya Ports Authority managing director Dr. Arch.
Daniel Manduku has promised to prioritize on locals seeking employment
opportunities at the state facility.
According to him the port being a public entity in
the Coast region locals are entitled to its benefit.
The MD however frankly revealed that all Kenyans residing
at the Coast region regardless of their origin and background have an equal
opportunity at the port.
Dr. Manduku said, “Kenya Ports Authority will adopt
this project. We shall supervise it ourselves. Currently the port is growing bigger,”
The MD, speaking at Chaani Airport Special School on
Saturday (10) during the laying of a foundation stone for Airport Secondary School,
a sister disability facility also promised to adopt the facility as part of the
company’s corporate social responsibility.
Dr Arch Daniel Manduku reiterated his commitment to
scaling up education not only in Mombasa County but the Coast region at large.
“We want to see that locals benefit from their own
asset. We shall again give out to this school twenty computers. And mheshimiwa Mwinyi you can come for them
very soon,” said Manduku.
He also promised to donate twenty computers to the new
disability facility ‘Airport Secondary School’.
Kenya Ports Authority according to him was ready to
partner with the local leadership to ensure that Coast people benefit from the
Port facility.
Changamwe legislator Omar Mwinyi, speaking at the
same function, said the construction of the new secondary school facility will provide
a permanent solution to students seeking higher education within the county.
Responding to Transport cabinet secretary James
Macharia’s government directive that requires all imported cargo to be
transported by the Standard Gauge Railway. The law maker said it is high time
the government consults the Coast leadership and chat a way forward.
Mwinyi said, “It is important that we have a
round-table discussion on the same.
Dialogue is a key issue here. Lest we walk
in parallel lines with the government,”
The lawmaker is of the view that failure for the government
to consult the local leadership in the region, the two parties will not come to
a consensus.
The move has also faced opposition by other Coast
politicians, haulers freighters and other interested parties.
According to all the different parties the directive
if implemented will precipitate unemployment leading to a debilitating effect
on the economy.
He says, “as representatives of the masses in the
region, they are open to any dialogue that will be fruitful to the locals.”
Meanwhile, Kilindini branch Kenya National Union of Teacher’s
KNUT secretary Dan Aloo urged parents
to take advantage of the integrated secondary school once completed.
Aloo thanked the KPA MD for adopting the school urging
him to create employment opportunities for dozens of youths within the entire
county.
“Parents bring your children in this school. We are
very happy to hear that we shall have an integrated school here,” said Aloo.
According to him the rate of unemployment among the
youths has shot up insisting that there is need for an urgent re dress.
At the same time, Airport Special School principal
Mercy Mwandeje says the disability facility will be the first of its kind in
the entire county.
According to her, Airport Secondary School, once
completed will relieve parents from the burden of ferrying students to and from
Thika High school for secondary education which is the only integrated
secondary school in Kenya.
“This school was started in 1965. We have a total of
240 pupils who are abled differently. We have a total of 50 staff members with
out of whom 10 are TSC approved teachers,” she said.
She says the integrated facility will accommodate students
from different parts of the country.
“This year we
registered a total of 22 candidates but unfortunately one of the pupils passed
on. We have been doing so well in national competitions. And that is why we
want to have our own integrated secondary school within our premises,” said the
principal.
Comments
Post a Comment