Joho orders probe into alleged dumping of dredged waste in Old Town's fishing grounds
The probe follows accusations by Old Town fisherfolk that the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) deposited dredged sand, silt, clay, gravel, and debris onto critical fishing grounds, severely depleting fish stocks.
Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has ordered the formation of a fact-finding team to investigate claims that a contractor flouted government directives on the disposal of dredged material.
The probe follows accusations by Old Town fisherfolk that the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) deposited dredged sand, silt, clay, gravel, and debris onto critical fishing grounds, severely depleting fish stocks.
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The Cabinet Secretary said the contractor was instructed to dump the material 17 kilometres offshore and warned of punitive action if the directive was violated.
“If the contractor is found culpable, necessary action will be taken,” Joho stated during a high-level stakeholder meeting.
The meeting brought together fisherfolk representatives from Mombasa’s Beach Management Units (BMUs), led by Chairperson Brian Mwakudza Maojo, alongside County Assembly Speaker Aharub Khatri, Members of the County Assembly, and County Executive Committee Member for Environment and Water Kibibi Abdalla.
Maojo said the livelihoods of fishing communities were under threat and called for swift intervention. “We have endured losses for far too long. The dredging has damaged our fishing grounds and left many of us struggling to survive,” he said.
A section of fisherfolk representatives from Mombasa’s Beach Management Units (BMUs) and county officials. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)
Speaker Khatri urged a fisherman with video evidence of dredge dumping to present it directly to the Cabinet Secretary. “If there is proof, let it be brought forward so that decisive action can be taken. The Assembly is committed to defending the rights of our fisherfolk,” he said.
The Chairperson of the County Assembly Committee on Blue Economy, Agriculture, and Livestock, Patrick Mbelle, commended national government investments in Kidongo and Liwatoni but urged focus on compensation. “We are aware of the Marina fisherfolk case and the landing sites issue. Indirect compensation through capacity building is essential if these communities are to recover,” he said.
Fisherfolk at the meeting also raised grievances, including the lack of indirect compensation for 16 boats affected by the Standard Gauge Railway project, environmental damage from dredging, delayed delivery of five boats under the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Socio-Economic Development Project (KEMFSED), and encroachment of landing sites by private developers. They also questioned the continued inactivity of the Liwatoni Fisheries Complex.
Addressing separate concerns over the Mavuno ya Bahari eco-restaurant, Joho tasked five BMU chairpersons with carrying out a site inspection and reporting their findings to his office.
The Cabinet Secretary further pledged to address all issues raised, revealing plans to boost coastal fish production through aquaculture projects involving rabbitfish, tilapia, and prawns.
He said negotiations for KEMFSED II were underway and instructed the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute to develop income-generating initiatives and training for fisherfolk.
The meeting came after Old Town BMUs met the County Assembly to protest dredging activities and demand transparency on the Sh2 billion KEMFSED allocation for Mombasa County.
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