MPs question how state spent Sh1.6 billion to count fish in Indian Ocean

Members of Parliament have been left in disbelief following revelations that the government spent Sh1.6 billion on a fish stock assessment in the Indian Ocean in the 2023-2024 financial year.

The expenditure, which was disclosed by the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, has sparked outrage among lawmakers, who questioned the value for money in the costly project.

The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water, and Irrigation, which is chaired by Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen, expressed concern that the assessment, which was aimed at determining fish populations in Kenyan waters, yielded no tangible results despite the significant funds allocated.

The committee learned that the project is part of a three-year initiative whose total budget is Sh3.6 billion.

During the committee hearing, Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho and Principal Secretary Betsy Muthoni Njagi were pressed to explain how such a large sum had been spent without clear outcomes.

“Out of that assessment, what was the end product? Do you have anything to give us? We gave you about Sh1.2 billion to do some stock assessment in the first year. At this point, you should be telling us and the country that we have this number of Tuna fish, this number of Tilapia, etc. We gave you the money so we can know what we have in our waters,” one MP said.

Tiaty MP William Kamket expressed his disbelief over the justification for spending such an amount of money on what he referred to as “fish counting”.

“So you are telling this committee that you were allocated billions just to count fish in the ocean?” Kamket asked.

Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi also voiced his frustration, questioning the ministry’s acting CEO, who asked for more time to provide specific data from the assessment.

“I am the MP for Mathira, and if you ask me how many registered voters are in Mathira, I don’t need to research; I know. He (CEO) should know the figures from the assessment without needing extra time to prepare,” Wamumbi said.

Despite the ministry’s defence that the stock assessment was completed, members of the committee were unconvinced.

Kisumu West MP Roza Buyu questioned the additional allocation of Sh600 million for the project in the 2024-2025 financial year.

“If the project is complete and the Sh1.6 billion has been utilised, why are we budgeting for another Sh600 million this year?” she asked.

However, Joho defended the expenditure, explaining that the fish stock assessment is crucial for attracting investors to Kenya’s blue economy.

“We will not be able to go to investors and tell them to come to Kenya if we do not have an assessment report. It really goes beyond counting fish. It is about understanding the entire ecosystem so we can understand zoning in the ocean,” he said.

However, Bowen continued to press for answers, pointing out the stark contrast between the project’s cost and the country’s minimal revenue from the blue economy, which has yet to exceed Sh50 million.

The ministry’s officials are now expected to reappear before the committee next week to table a full report on the fish stock assessment findings amidst mounting questions.