When President Uhuru Kenyatta stated that he is set to leave a legacy when his term finally comes to an end, he actually meant it. The President even came up with a strategic plan under the Big 4 agenda on what he plans to achieve by 2022.
The President has been on the road touring various parts of the country and while at it initiating various development projects. Today it’s the turn of Mombasa County with the head of state landing in the area to officially launch the Kenya Coast Guard Service as part of the broad Blue Economy strategy.
The President was received by Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho. Other government officials present at the launch include DP William Ruto, Interior CS Fred Matiangi and her Defence counterpart Rachel Omamo.
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.
Uhuru already appointed Brigadier Vincent Loonena as the pioneer Director-General.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is also expected to launch a campaign aimed at encouraging Kenyans to eat more fish. This is according to Statehouse Spokesperson Kanze Dena
The Head of State, who is in Mombasa will launch the Eat More Fish Campaign after he commissions the newly formed Kenya Coast Guard Service.
“This is an initiative by the State Department of Fisheries that seeks to increase dietary intake of fish in the nation,” said Kanze.
The launch comes at a time when Kenyan fishermen have been complaining of an influx in Chinese fish in the local market as well as from neighbouring Somalia and Tanzania.
Dena also said that the newly formed Coast Guard Service, to be launched by Uhuru at the headquarters in Liwatoni, will help save Sh10 billion lost through illegal fishing.
“The service will protect Kenya’s territorial waters from criminals and the exclusive economic zone from illegal fishing,” Dena said last week during a media briefing at State House.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has already issued a ban on the importation of fish from China.
Uhuru said the Chinese fish was strangling the local market.
“I have been told about the imported fish from China. It is not possible that we import Chinese fish when our local traders are here,” he said.
Uhuru said though the Finance Bill 2018 was signed to law, it does not mean that imports be replaced with what is available in the local market.
His sentiments come amidst public outcry over the unregulated importation of fish from China.
In June this year, fishermen at Lake Naivasha said the foreign fish had flooded markets and called upon the government to intervene.
Do you think the newly formed Kenya Coast Guard Service will achieve it’s core mandate?