Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said the government is boosting income for thousands of locals depending on the coastal blue economy through construction of modern fish ports and markets, enhancing industry skills and empowerment of beach management units.

Speaking during his tour of the coastal region on Wednesday, Kindiki said billions of shillings was being invested in the sector in a bid to make it more beneficial to the communities relying on the Indian Ocean ecosystem in Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River.

The DP on Wednesday inspected ongoing construction of the Regional Centre for Marine Transport and Port Logistics at Kombani in Matuga Constituency, Kwale County, reiterating its importance in the endeavor to make the sector more profitable.  

The Centre, at 82 percent completion, is being set up at a cost of Ksh607 million and will train students from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It will nurture careers in maritime transport, sea faring, port management and logistics, ship making, marine science, marine engineering, coxswains and other specializations that are in high demand globally.

“The Centre is one of the interventions the Government is making to revitalize value chains in the blue economy and empower communities who derive their livelihoods from the maritime ecosystem,” DP noted.

Further, the government has disbursed over Ksh3.2 billion through various Beach Management Units and targets empowering over 200, 000 beneficiaries in the five counties.

A number of fish ports, fish markets and landing sites are also under construction and are set for completion before the end of the year.

“We are building modern fish ports complete with jetty and processing factories. In Shimoni, Kwale County, the new port is costing Ksh2.6 billion and is almost complete. It will provide many job opportunities to youth and women,” said Kindiki.

The five fish landing sites to be completed by September this year at a cost of Ksh1 billion will be equipped with cold storage facilities and ice making machines to address post-harvest losses.

The government is also acquiring deep sea fishing boats worth Ksh600 million for fisherfolk in the region to venture safely into the deep sea and earn more from their trade.

“They will be able to go deep into the sea for days and come with quality and more profitable fish that will attract better prices,” DP stated.