FIRESIDE CHATS WITH THE LEGAL GAL
In my previous article in the series, ‘Fireside Chats with the Legal Gal’, I wrote on our presence in Lunga Lunga Sub County, located in Kwale County https://mmsadvocates.co.ke/lunga-lunga-sub-county-part-1/. It’s Part 1 of the border town’s series, so keep an eye out, as I delve deeper into the town that hums gently at the end of our country.
Have a read, let us know what you think and what more you’d like to know about our work at MMS Advocates LLP and how we could be of service. Thank you.
MMS Advocates would also like to wish our colleagues, brothers, sisters, family & friends, a blessed and wonderful Eid Mubarak!
Anyone who hears of their friend, relative or classmate becoming a lawyer (then an advocate of the High Court of Kenya), has the one thing that comes to mind: “I wonder how long it will take before they get a car! The money will surely be rolling in within no time.” That may be true for some (or most) of my former classmates from campus and KSL, but that could not be farther from the truth for me. As mentioned in my previous articles, my upbringing at the Coast and in Nairobi had me exposed to the public service network for the majority of my life.
The convenience of tuktuks, matatus (shout out to Numbers 9 in Eastleigh & 111 for Ngong, not forgetting the souped up Number 34 in Westlands; then crossing over to the ‘rear ends in the air’ of Mombasa matatus!), buses (anyone remember KBS?) and pikipikis meant my desire for a personal car was not as strong as most of my contemporaries or peers. Even as I forayed into the professional aspect of my life, the taxi apps were the best way for me to get around; wherever in the world I’d be.
But…and I cannot stress this enough…nothing prepares you for when two or three of the most convenient of the five modes of transport you are used to, are taken away from you. Not out of necessity, but because your life has shifted & a relocation has taken place. This is what happened to me when I landed in Kwale County. With the peace and tranquility that came with the county, so did the transport system not being what I was accustomed to in Nairobi, Kisumu or Mombasa. Or any other town I’ve had the pleasure of being a resident of.
The county, specifically the HQ being Kwale Town, is dominated by tuktuks, matatus (42 seaters, 15 seaters and 6 seaters) and pikipikis/bodabodas. Buses are for when you’re travelling back to the North Coast, to the border in Lunga Lunga, or to Nairobi. Taxis are few and far between – and they are not on any of the taxi hailing apps that many of us are now accustomed to. All in all, traversing this wonderful landscape has been nothing short of illuminating and entertaining as I carry out my work here.
With that in mind, here are the highlights I have had the pleasure of experiencing when it comes to the transport system in this southern beauty that is Kwale County.
The transport system in Kwale County is a multi-model network comprising road, air, and marine transport, with ongoing projects aimed at modernizing infrastructure. The system facilitates connectivity within the county, to the wider coastal region, and nationally.
Road transport:
The road network is essential for local, regional, and national transport, and includes the following:
- Major roads: Key routes include the Mombasa-Lunga Lunga/Tanzania highway and the Mombasa-Nairobi highway via the Dongo Kundu bypass. A significant project involves upgrading the Kinango-Kwale Road to a bitumen standard, which will improve the movement of goods and people and is expected to boost tourism and economic growth.
- Public transport: Matatus, buses, and motorcycle taxis (boda-bodas) are the main modes of public transport. Long-distance bus companies, such as Executive or Pioneer Buses, also operate routes connecting Kwale to other regions.
- The Dongo Kundu bypass: This bypass connects Mombasa to the South Coast (Kwale) by road, bypassing the busy Likoni Ferry crossing and providing an alternative, reliable transport link.
Air transport:
- Ukunda Airport (Diani Airport): This is the main airstrip serving Kwale County and the popular tourist destination of Diani Beach. The airport, which operates under the IATA code UKA, serves small-to-medium aircraft and receives daily flights from destinations such as Nairobi (Wilson Airport), Maasai Mara, and Amboseli. The recent expansion of the airport is expected to further boost tourism and trade.
- Other airstrips: Smaller airstrips in the county, such as Mackinnon Road Airport and Funzi Island Airport, cater to specific or private travel needs.
- Moi International Airport: Located in neighbouring Mombasa County, this is the nearest international airport for travellers visiting Kwale.
Marine transport:
- Likoni Ferry: the Likoni Ferry channel provides a crucial link connecting the island of Mombasa to the South Coast (Kwale County). It transports both pedestrians and vehicles across the channel. And sometimes, believe it or not, animals (goats and chicken to be specific).
- Shimoni Port: the development of Shimoni Portis another major infrastructure project poised to stimulate economic growth and boost transport and trade activities in the county.
- Integrated Maritime Transport System (IMTS): Kwale County is a stakeholder in the Kenya Ports Authority’s IMTS project, which aims to modernize marine transport, boost maritime tourism, and create new economic opportunities for local communities.
Railway Transport:
- Madaraka Express: While there is no major railway station within Kwale, the standard gauge railway (SGR) connecting Mombasa and Nairobi passes through Kwale County. Inter-county trains, which stop at designated stations, are part of the Madaraka Express Passenger Service.
Kwale County, with its robust transportation system already in place, is not only ripe for all sorts of opportunities from international and national investors alike, but for us at MMS Advocates. As I reiterated in my previous articles, the excitement for the work we do in the legal space is only going to grow. Here’s to you joining us on this journey. Until the next article, I ride off on a boda boda for the weekend: Legal Gal.
Kasichana Riziki Mumba is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, and an associate at MMS Advocates LLP. She is passionate about the rule of law, justice and creatively combining the world of artivism (art and activism), nature and ESG into her work.
