Gov’t Approves Plans To Sell Disputed Liwatoni Fisheries Complex
Mining and Blue Economy CS Hassan Joho has hinted at plans to privatize the Liwatoni Fisheries Complex near Mombasa.
This comes after the government spent Sh1.49 billion building the complex, which was intended to improve fish processing and value addition.
“We have made a decision that it will happen this year. And by the way, the decision is that the government shouldn’t run business,” Joho said.
“The government is a facilitator. So we will enable other players to come in and run that facility.”
He spoke in Mombasa’s Ummu Kulthum Mosque, where he offered Eid-ul-Adha prayers on Friday.
He stated that the Shimoni Port in Kwale County would be similarly affected. Shimoni is Kenya’s largest dedicated fishing harbor.
Regarding the opposition wave led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Joho stated that he is “too busy working for the people to be distracted by opposition politics”.
“I don’t see any political temperatures rising. I only see work being done by the government,” he said, adding that he is focused on the work entrusted to him by President William Ruto.
“I have too much work to do. In Lamu, I am building a landing site. In Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa counties I am building fish markets and establishing projects that involve mining.”
The CS also urged Mombasa locals to register on the ‘Boma Yangu’ portal for the affordable housing units being built at VOK in the Nyali sub-county. The registration process is underway.
“We don’t want to create a situation where they do not register and then what is meant for them goes to other people,” Joho said.
“It will be a big loss for our people to miss out on such an opportunity to be a homeowner at an affordable price.”
The CS was recently questioned by UDA-nominated Senator Miraj Abdillahi on the use of Sh1 billion obtained by his ministry from a Canadian benefactor.
According to Abdillahi, women in the coastal fisheries sector should profit from the blue economy.
“We have women who are supposed to have benefited from such facilities as the Liwatoni Complex. But unfortunately, it is not clear who has benefited.
“We hope the entity that will be running the complex will ensure that Coastal women also benefit from the same,” Abdillahi said.
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She talked in Mtongwe after delivering meat to villagers for Eid-ul-Adha.
The senator also urged Muslim authorities to focus not just on giving meat during the celebrations, but also to guarantee that women’s rights, like those of males, are protected and upheld.
Fishing port upgrades in Liwatoni and Shimoni will unlock deep-sea potential, supporting 24 vessels and global trade. Coastal growth accelerates as #BlueEconomyWins and Ruto delivers high-impact investment. pic.twitter.com/NETtJ1OiCH
— H.E President William Ruto (Commentary) (@WilliamsMkenya) June 3, 2025
“It will be wrong to, for instance, deny women their daily bread in the blue economy in whatever way,” Abdillahi said.
“In the spirit of Eid-ul-Adha, let the women at the Coast also feel the benefit of the fisheries sector.”
Gov’t Approves Plans To Sell Disputed Liwatoni Fisheries Complex
