President Uhuru Kenyatta is a man on a mission, a mission to recover all stolen public property from unscrupulous individuals. Days after ordering the ministry of Lands and that of Education to work closely and ensure that schools that belonged to churches are returned to them, the President has again cracked the whip and this time he has a bone to chew with the ministry of Lands together with the fisheries department.
The President has ordered the Fisheries department and the National Land Commission to recover and secure all fish landing sites in Kenya.
The president noted on Monday that many of the sites and other public properties are in the wrong hands as they were acquired illegally by private developers.
Mr Kenyatta wants all the assets returned to the government by the first quarter of 2019.
“I have directed the National Land Commission & the Department of Fisheries to ensure that all fish landing sites at the Coast, at Lake Victoria, & other areas across the country are recovered & secured by the end of the first quarter of 2019,” said the President.
He issued the directive in Liwatoni, Mombasa County, during the launch of the Kenya Coast Guard Service and their Mv Doria vessel.
The service will be headed by Brigadier Victor Naisho Loonena. It comprises personnel from the police, army and intelligence services and civilian professionals seconded from the Public Service Commission.
The service is tasked with the management and enforcement of laws in Kenya’s internal and territorial waters.
The Kenya Coast Guard Service will be responsible for enforcing maritime security and safety, pollution control and sanitation measures as well as prosecution of offenders.
The new Kenya Coast Guard Service will also be responsible for port and coastal security, search and rescue, as well as protection of maritime resources.
Among those who accompanied Uhuru were Deputy President William Ruto, Mombasa governor Hassan Joho, Leader of Majority Aden Duale, Tourism CS Najib Balala and Interior’s Fred Matiang’i.