Iranian investors to set up gas plant in Mombasa

Iranian investors want to put up a multi-million dollar LPG plant near the port of Mombasa. A delegation of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mines asked the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) officials to help Iranian investors get land around the port. Mombasa, is the city and chief seaport of Kenya, capital of Coast Province, located on a bay of the Indian Ocean, just south of the equator.
Led by Chamber president, Engineer Ali Khamushi, the delegation said investment in LPG in Kenya was a priority among Iranian investors due to demand in East Africa. They said this when they met KPA chairman Major General (rtd.) Aboud Rafrouf at the Mombasa port.

LPG, they said, would have a vast market in Kenya and the hinterland countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. KPA Harbour Master and Commercial Services Manager Captain Twalib Khamisi said the Mombasa port had well developed transit facilities and a railway line linking it with Uganda. However, hopes for the LPG project were briefly dashed when Capt. Khamisi said all KPA land was allocated to private developers particularly oil marketing companies.
However, former Cabinet minister and Mombasa businessman Mr Shariff Nassir undertook to help the investors get land near the port. Nassir, who hosted the delegation, said he had land near the port, which may be used to put up the facility.

Meanwhile, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) has urged the Government to speed up the processing of visas for Iranian businessmen.
Speaking after receiving the Iranian delegation, KNCCI Mombasa branch secretary Mr Alex Mwangeka said traders from that country had complained of difficulties in getting visas in time to facilitate business. Khamushi said Iran intended to strengthen trade, economic and industrial ties with the East African countries.