More than 400 families are set to be displaced by the construction of the Makupa Bridge project. Mombasa Beach Management Unit chairperson Mercy Mghanga confirmed the report and appealed to the government to offer alternatives for those who will be affected.
“In many instances, the government projects render fishermen jobless. For example, the dredging of the Mombasa port adversely affected the fishing activities in the Port Reitz area. We are asking for an alternative for the fishermen and families that depend on the creeks. We have no objection to the project, all we are asking for is for public participation and alternative location for the affected families,” said Mghanga.
Makupa causeway structure
On their part the Kenya National Highway Authority affirmed that plans are underway to identify those who will be affected by the project, and they will be compensated. The authority’s senior engineer Eric Wambua said plans are being developed to relocate those who will be affected.
“We are going to conduct a case study of all those who will be affected by the project and see how to address each issue,” said Eng Wambua.
The Sh4.5 billion bridge project was commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta last year. It is set to replace the historic Makupa causeway that links Mombasa Island to the mainland. The 120 meters Makupa causeway structure between Tudor and Port Reitz creeks was built in the 1920’s by the British colonial government and it has reportedly been interfering with the natural oceanic waves, the free flow of aqueous oxygen and it has also been a cause of damage to fish breeding grounds, besides bring about pollution.
