Government to fund blue economy to the tune of Sh32 billion, says CS Joho

A Cabinet Secretary has promised a grand transformation of the blue economy sector infrastructure on the Coast through a Sh32 billion funding to be sourced from donors.

Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs CS Hassan Joho said President William Ruto has allowed his Ministry to negotiate for further funding of the blue economy to boost the sector.

Joho spoke at the weekend when he accompanied President Ruto on his Coast tour, where he launched the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project in the region.

“The greatest news is that you (President Ruto) have okayed negotiation for further Sh32 billion to fund the blue economy,” Joho said, in reference to the financing plan approved by the president.

For more than three years, the government has been buying boats, upgrading fish landing sites, and giving out grants to several groups in Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu counties.

This was after President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration secured a Sh10 billion loan from the World Bank under the Kenya Marine Fisheries and Socio-Economic Development (Kemfsed) project.

At the weekend, Joho explained that county governments in the Coast region have come up with a bill supporting the blue economy and that each county will get the first three deep-sea fishing boats from the national government plan.

The CS, however, failed to highlight the progress on the controversial Liwatoni fish complex processing plant, where the government has already sunk more than Sh1 billion.

The initial plan was to have the first phase of the project completed by December 2024 and employ up to 3000 people, but the project was installed amid government silence.

 During the president’s tour, Joho instead focused on the Sh2.7 billion Shimoni fish port in Kwale county that was funded by Kenya Ports Authority and completed last year. KPA managing director Captain William Ruto has so far explained that the government was planning to get a private operator for Kenya’s first fish port.

Joho also highlighted the benefits of the Sh1.4 billion National Mariculture Resource and Training Centre Namaret) to fish farmers also based in Shimoni, Kwale county.

He said Namaret, which was developed by Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute and funded under the Kemfed project, has been distributing fisherling to farmers who are earning money.

“A group got the seeds of tafi (rabbitfish) and prawn in Kilifi from Namaret and now earns up to Sh2 million every three months,” said Joho.