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Parliament Buildings, Nairobi – September 10, 2024
The Parliamentary Committee on Blue Economy, Water, and Irrigation, chaired by Hon. Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East), has lauded the State Department for Blue Economy and Fisheries for its commendable execution of projects for the Financial Year 2023/24. The recognition came during a briefing held at Parliament Buildings, where the Committee was updated on the progress of various projects funded during the fiscal year.
Leading the presentation were Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, Hon. Hassan Ali Joho, and Principal Secretary for the State Department for Blue Economy and Fisheries, Ms. Betsy Njagi. The officials provided a detailed account of the budget implementation, highlighting the status of the projects that received allocations within the review period.
The State Department had an approved budget estimate of Kshs. 10.7 billion, comprising Kshs. 7.9 billion for development and Kshs. 2.8 billion for recurrent expenditures. Out of this, the State Department received Kshs. 5.9 billion from the exchequer, with Kshs. 3.2 billion allocated for development and Kshs. 2.6 billion for recurrent expenditures. Additionally, Kshs. 4 billion in donor funding was received under the Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP) and the Kenya Marine Fisheries and Socio-Economic Development (KEMSFED) projects.
CS Joho outlined several key achievements during the period, including the establishment of governance structures for the Marine Spatial Plan project under the blue economy, the development of the first draft of the Reviewed Tuna Management and Development Strategy 2023, and the creation of a draft Aquaculture Policy.
The Committee also commended the State Department for completing and handing over fish landing sites in various counties, including Kwale (Vanga), Kilifi (Ngomeni and Kichwa cha Kati), Busia (Mulukhoba), Migori (Sori), and Siaya (Lwanda Kotieno). The completion of Fish Quality Laboratories in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu, as well as the Marine Fish Stock Assessment project, were also highlighted as significant milestones.
During the briefing, Committee members questioned the necessity of stock assessments, to which CS Joho explained that it is a global practice essential for countries engaging in the blue economy to operate from an informed position.
PS Njagi provided assurances on the expected completion of the Aquaculture Business Development Programme, which has been ongoing for six years and is slated for completion by 2026. She mentioned that nine landing sites across Kisumu, Siaya, Homabay, Migori, and Busia would be developed, with an investment of around Kshs. 1.5 billion. Additionally, the project will support cage farmers with approximately Kshs. 400 million and another Kshs. 450 million for aquaculture, including the production of fingerlings at the Kabondo project to support the farmers.
The Vice-Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Maisori Marwa (Kuria East), emphasized the potential of the blue economy to generate significant revenue for the country, noting that many nations heavily rely on this sector for economic growth.
Hon. Bowen concluded by stressing the importance of including ongoing projects in the status report and expressed confidence in the Ministry’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate to Kenyans. CS Joho assured the Committee of his dedication to working closely with them to ensure the success of the Ministry’s initiatives.
