NAIROBI, Kenya, April 5 – The Parliamentary Committee on Blue Economy toured various blue economy projects in Mombasa County yesterday.
The David Bowen-led team inspected the Liwatoni, Shimoni, and Kibiyuni projects before meeting the area’s Governor, Shariff Nassir.
The purpose of the visits was to assess the progress of ongoing projects and implementation challenges.
In Liwatoni, the group inspected a fish meal plant project, which is currently at a 46 percent completion rate.
The project is gearing up for a public-private partnership (PPP) that will help promote innovation.
However, the committee was concerned about the availability of fish to process and preserve.
In Shimoni, they visited a hatchery project aimed at providing certified seed to combine with Liwatoni to produce meal.
The project, which is currently 60 percent complete, has faced challenges with contractors stalling the project.
The World Bank has agreed to set up a resource center to partner with farmers to provide training and carry out experiments.
The committee members questioned the efficiency of the project, which started in 2019 and was overseen by the Department of Public Works.
Nonetheless, the members were optimistic that the project could be salvaged and completed.
The committee’s visit to Shimoni focused on assessing the feasibility of building a fish market.
The committee noted that the area has the potential to become a significant fish trading hub, but there is a need for more investment in infrastructure.
Discussions included the possibility of building a cold storage facility and a fish processing plant in the area to maximize the potential of the fish market.
The Blue Economy concept recognizes the need to use the ocean and its resources in a sustainable way that balances economic growth with environmental conservation.
During their inspection visit to Kibuyuni, the Blue Economy Committee found a seaweed farming project that was shut down and in a dire state.
One of the major challenges identified was the lack of a ready market for their products.
Bowen emphasized the need to check on the taxes being imposed on fishing activities as well as lower the price of fuel for vessels to enhance the economic viability of the projects.
Other members present included Kitayama Marwa (Kuria East), Charity Kathambi (Njoro), Amina Mnyazi (Malindi), and Paul Nzengu (Mwingi North).
Others included Eric Mwangi (Mathira), Dorothy Ikiara (Nominated) and Stanley Muthama (Lamu West).
