- Title: KENYA: THREE AFRICAN PRESIDENTS IN MOMBASA FOR FREIGHTER CEREMONY.
- Date: 17th August 1969
- Summary: KENYATTA GREETS ARRIVING GUESTS; MUSICIANS AND GUARDS; KAUNDA AND NYERERE; CROWDS AND MOTORCADE; SHIP "MULUNGUSHI"; KAUNDA HANDS PLAQUE TO CAPTAIN. Initials RE/VS/AE/BB Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 1st September 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MOMBASA, KENYA
- Country: Kenya
- Reuters ID: LVAOCTNJOHNW6EKYRN6H39Z6TZT
- Story Text: THREE AFRICAN PRESIDENTS ATTENDED THE COMMISSIONING FOR SERVICE YESTERDAY (16 AUGUST) OF A NEW FREIGHTER AT THE KENYAN PORT OF MOMBASA.
KENYA'S PRESIDENT JOMO KENYATTA WAS ALREADY IN MOMBASA, WHERE HE IS SPENDING HIS ANNUAL WORKING HOLIDAY. HE DROVE THROUGH CHEERING CROWDS TO THE TOWN'S AIRPORT. THERE HE WELCOMED ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT KENNETH KAUNDA, AND JULIUS NYERERE, PRESIDENT OF TANZANIA.
UGANDAN HEAD OF STATE MILTON OBOTE WAS ALSO EXPECTED, BUT FAILED TO ARRIVE. KENYAN DANCERS AND MUSICIANS, AND A MILITARY GUARD OF HONOUR ALSO AWAITED THE GUESTS AT THE AIRPORT.
THE THREE PRESIDENTS RODE IN A MOTOR-CADE TO MOMBASA DOCKS, WHERE THE COMMISSIONING CEREMONY WAS TO TAKE PLACE.
PRESIDENT KAUNDA WAS THE GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE OCCASION. THE FREIGHTER, THE 9,119-TON M.V. MULUNGUSHI, IS THE THIRD SHIP TO BE LAUNCHED BY THE EAST AFRICAN SHIPPING LINE. EACH SHIP CARRIES THE FLAG OF A DIFFERENT EAST AFRICAN NATION. THE FIRST, LAUNCHED IN 1967, IS KENYA'S. THE SECOND BEARS UGANDAN COLOURS, AND MULUNGUSHI IS THE ZAMBIAN VESSEL.
AT THE CEREMONY, PRESIDENT KENYATTA ANNOUNCED THAT A FOURTH VESSEL, CARRYING THE TANZANIAN FLAG, WOULD SOON JOIN THE FLEET.
THE EAST AFRICAN LINE IS AN OFFSHOOT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY -- THE ECONOMIC GROUPING LINKING KENYA, UGANDA, AND TANZANIA. PRESIDENT KAUNDA TOLD THE GATHERING THAT TRADE BETWEEN ZAMBIA AND THE COMMUNITY WAS GROWING, AND THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WAS 'FORGING AHEAD' WITH PREPARATIONS TO JOIN THE BODY. NEGOTIATIONS WERE VERY ADVANCED AND HE HOPED THAT THEY WOULD SOON BE COMPLETED.
IN THE SPEECH, WHICH FOLLOWED HIS PRESENTATION OF A PLAQUE COMMEMORATING THE OCCASION TO THE SHIP'S CAPTAIN, PRESIDENT KAUNDA SAID THAT THE CEREMONY MARKED A NEW STEP ALONG HIS COUNTRY'S ROAD TO FULL CONTROL OF ITS ECONOMY.
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