THE CHAIRMAN'S FESTIVE SEASON MESSAGE

"With the approaching of the Christmas Season,  may I, on behalf of the Board of Directors, take this opportunity to convey the season's greetings to the Management, staff and the entire KPA fraternity.

As we reflect on the Christmas theme of goodwill and peace to mankind, I wish to congratulate each one of you for your personal contribution towards  attainment of our operational targets and the overall performance of the Authority.

Current projections indicate that we may surpass our target of 1.35 million TEUs for containerized cargo and 33.580 million tons total port throughput by end December 2019. In the period January to November 2019, the Port has handled a total of 31.479 million tons of cargo compared to 28.550 million tons handled over the same period in 2018. This gives an increase of 2.929 million tons or 10.3 percent. In terms of container traffic, the Port has handled 1,293,684 TEUs from January to November this year compared to 1,185,289 TEUs handled during the corresponding period in 2018. This represents an increase of 9.1 percent.

We have also seen unprecedented growth in both transit and transshipment business. Transshipment traffic for the past eleven months stands at 2.333 million tons compared to 1.076 million tons achieved in the same period last year, depicting a growth of 116.8 percent. Transit traffic registered for the January-November period is 9.202 million tons compared to 8.897 million tons in the same period last year. Our financial performance has also been improving. The revenue collection for July-November 2019 is currently at KShs. 22.8 billion compared to KShs. 18.8 billion same period in 2018.

All aspects show an upward trend - an indication of our efficiency and improved service delivery to our esteemed customers. Our collaboration with Kenya Railways has resulted in a more reliable, faster and safer mode of delivery of cargo to upcountry destinations.

On infrastructure development, the revitalization of the Port of Kisumu, the recent commissioning of the Naivasha Inland Container Depot and the planned commissioning of the Port of Lamu are major milestones that will bring our services even closer to our customers. We are indeed becoming the "port of choice" for the region. I urge all of you to go that extra mile to ensure that we meet expectations of our clients and stakeholders in terms of  service delivery and customer care.

I acknowledge, as the Chairman of the Board, that there have been challenges along the way but we are committed to addressing these issues robustly and manage the attendant risks to our business. For now let us all focus on the opportunities that are ahead of us in the coming years and dedicate ourselves towards achieving even better performance.

So, it is in this spirit of the festive season of good will, that I salute all of you - the Board of Directors, the Management and staff for a job well done.

May I wish all of you and your families a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2020!

God bless you all.

Gen. (Rtd.) JR Kibwana, EGH, CBS.

CHAIRMAN OF THE KPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS