KPA advances multi-million Muhuru Bay lake port to final structural phase

The state-backed upgrade of the Muhuru Bay shoreline is nearing its final structural phase, as the government moves to tap into the unexploited commercial potential of Lake Victoria.

Led by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the Muhuru Bay Pier Development and Rehabilitation Project is transforming the long-neglected site into a modern lake port, which aligns with national blue economy goals.

Engineers on-site have pushed walling works to 98 percent completion. Current activity centers on revetment works, which require systematic placement and compaction of armour rock boulders along a 200-metre stretch to secure the pier head against wave action.

Major project components feature a reinforced concrete jetty measuring 50 by 30 metres, which is designed to berth larger commercial vessels.

A cold storage facility is also under construction to preserve local fish catches, which will help reduce post-harvest losses and cut out exploitative middle-men.

Security infrastructure, a perimeter wall, and an administrative block for port and customs operations are being erected to support regional trade.

The upgraded pier will work in tandem with the ongoing Masara to Muhuru Bay road upgrade, which connects the lake terminal to the regional highway network.

Once operational, the facility creates a maritime link connecting emerging lake ports, which include Homa Bay, Sori, and Kisumu.

The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration is coordinating maritime security enforcement, which protects cross-border movement and port assets.

The facility aims to revitalize the wider Migori County economy, which has suffered from decades of underinvestment despite its strategic position on the water.