Why Beach traders are opposing the establishment of Diani Chale Marine Reserve

About 5,000 traders at Diani Beach took to the streets to demonstrate against the government's plan to upgrade the Diani Chale Park in Kwale County to a marine national reserve.

The Kenya Wildlife Service is poised to take charge of the park once the government implements a gazette notice from 1995 to change its status. The rangers will manage and conserve the whole area to protect the marine biodiversity, limiting human activities including fishing. 

Like other marine parks, any activities such as boat tours would first acquire licenses and permits to access the park with tourists, changes which the area residents are opposed to. 

Diani Chale, which has been a paper park (a protected area) for the last 29 years, has greatly benefitted the locals who are further cautious about losing one of their main resources and sources of income. 

They warned that upgrading the park to a marine reserve will limit their operations on the extensive section from Tiwi to Chale, one of the most beautiful areas on the Kenyan Coast to have won global awards for being the best beach.

"We have been operating on this beach for the longest time while it has won global awards. Why would the government want to take control of the resource," lamented Kwale County Beach Management Unit chairperson Mtengo Makame.

"As fishermen, we are against it because no public participation was conducted, even in the past years. That is against the constitution because we understand that as fishermen we must participate in policies and changes that affect us," added Makame.  

According to the chairperson, a fisherman is free to fish and operate within the ocean depending on the wavelength of the tides. 

Kwale County Beach Management Unit Chairperson Mtengo Makame addresses the press on Thursday, April 4, 2024. (Photo: Mishi Ngogo)

The fish is then sold in local markets, beach restaurants, resorts and other surrounding areas in the county. With the new regulations, fishermen would have limited time to be in the water, and their coverage area would also be reduced. 

"We want it to be ungazetted and operate as a normal beach. We are against the marine park because all the benefits that we get from this resource will now be limited once the government takes full control of it,"

According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, Diani Chale Marine National Reserve begins from Tiwi to Chale.

This covers all the beaches in Kwale including Tiwi, Kongo, Diani and Galu, which attract a lot of operators and traders owing to the many resorts located along the area. The beach operators include fishermen, curio sellers, masseurs, Masaai warriors, camel operators, henna painters, marine safari sellers, boat operators, restaurants and eateries. 

All the traders and operators target tourists walking along the beach to buy their goods and services.

Margaret Mwanthi, a curio seller in Diani Beach complained that she will suffer a setback for the 30 years that she has been operating at the beach, with her business being her main source of income.

She raised fears of possible double taxation and expenditures on the purchase of permits and licenses.

"All these years, I have been getting my profits directly from the business that I have been selling curios by the beach. However, the implementation would mean the government gets more returns from my business than myself. That means I will have less earnings," she stated. 

She added that traders at the coastline should be left to continue their operations, just like before when they had licenses, good conduct certificates and even badges for operations.

Kaya elders in Kwale also fear losing their right to perform traditional rituals and practices which are prominent in the area, especially near Tiwi.

Their chairperson Kassim Suleiman argued that upgrading the status of the beach would be an injustice to the culture of the Kwale residents. 

"Every region in the country has its own resources. We do not understand why Kwale residents are about to be restricted from using their resources that have created numerous employment opportunities for the young people," he wondered. 

He urged the government to reverse the gazettement and any plans to implement laws that would be a big blow to the beach operators and the economy of the residents in general.

Tourosm CS Alfred Mutua and Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani at a press conference in Kwale on Wednesday, April 4, 2024 (Photo: CS Alfred Mutua/X)

Earlier during World Wildlife Day, Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani concurred with the locals that the gazettement would affect critical operations and area residents who depend on the ocean for survival. 

"What will happen to the fishermen when the most important part of the ocean is guarded from the residents who depend on it? The national government should look into this because we are against it," Ms Achani requested. 

She added that fishermen from Shimoni and adjacent areas of Kisite Mpunguti Marine Reserve were already subjected to frequent harassment and arrests by the KWS rangers and The Coast Guard Services.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, in his response, promised to address the issue before it escalates. 

"Once I go back to the office I will start meetings discussing how we are going to manage the Marine Park," he pledged while speaking at the Kwale County Headquarters. 

Other Marine Protected Areas include Mombasa Marine Park and National Reserve, Malindi Marine Park and National Reserve, Watamu Marine Reserve, and Kiunga Marine Reserve.