Investment, Trade, and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fast-tracking the development of the Sh12 billion Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Mombasa, positioning it as a pivotal driver for East Africa’s industrial and logistics growth.
The project, spread across a 535-acre parcel in Jomvu, aims to attract global and domestic capital across manufacturing, value addition, energy, and maritime transport. Developed under a strategic partnership involving Mombasa Free Zone Ltd, global trade operator DP World, and the County Government of Mombasa, the initiative is projected to generate nearly 8,000 direct jobs while expanding Kenya’s export capacity.
During an inspection tour of the Coast region’s industrial hubs, CS Kinyanjui emphasized that the State is actively eliminating infrastructure bottlenecks—including internal connectivity, water, and power supply—to create a fully serviced environment for investors.
“The role of government is to create the necessary incentives for the private sector to invest,” Kinyanjui noted, highlighting that the economic zone will serve both domestic and international markets through integrated port infrastructure and the Northern Corridor.
Over US$100 million (Sh12 billion) in private sector investment aimed at creating 7,972 direct jobs and supporting thousands of indirect opportunities in logistics, engineering, and supply chains.
Key manufacturing and infrastructure initiatives—such as pharmaceutical glass production by Milly Glass and regional energy storage facilities—are leading private capital deployment.
Direct integration with the Port of Mombasa, supported by targeted road link developments within 120 days and preferential power tariffs (Sh10 per kWh) to lower operational costs for manufacturers.
Designed to leverage regional free-trade frameworks, including the East African Community (EAC), COMESA, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The acceleration of the Mombasa SEZ aligns with the national Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), shifting Kenya from an importer of finished goods to a regional processing and manufacturing power house.
