Construction of the first three shipping berths at the Lamu port will start soon, according to an official.

Building of the LAPSETT project has been temporarily suspended due to lack of funds, since its launch by Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, President Salva Kiir and the late Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi.

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Lapsset Corridor Development in Kenya, Sylvester Kasuku told Eye Radio that funding has now been secured.

“What is happening is that we have already put money in the current budget and we are soon going to begin,” said Mr. Kasuku.

“We are just finalizing on the mobilization of the funds and we have already put fund from our National Budget in the current financial year which begins this month .And we are also continuing to mobilize more funds .And we will straight away precede with the construction, so this will be done within this year.”

Mr. Kasuku also said that the signing of the contract is at the final stage.

The Kenyan government awarded the 500 million-dollar tender to China’s Construction and Communication Company in early February.

South Sudan has expressed optimism that it could export its oil via the Kenyan transport link by 2014, if construction started immediately after completion of feasibility studies on the proposed route.

The Lamu pipeline project is expected to benefit millions of people in the region through job opportunities.