Joho in fresh bid to repossess grabbed fish landing sites
Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho (centre) with Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir (left) and Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) Chairman Hamisi Mwaguya (right) during a tour of the KMA Offices in Mombasa on August 19, 2024.
What you need to know:
- According to the Ministry of Mining and Blue Economy, there are 46 fish landing sites in Mombasa.
- Facilities have been grabbed by influential investors who have erected palatial apartments and hotels.
Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has reembarked on efforts to repossess fish landing sites which were allegedly grabbed by private investors.
During his tenure as Mombasa governor, Mr Joho’s administration was engaged in a tussle with several Mombasa businessmen who had constructed buildings and walls along sections which were claimed to be public land close to the seashores.
Speaking in Mombasa on Monday, Mr Joho asked the businessmen who have grabbed fish landing sites in Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Tana River and Lake Victoria to surrender the resources to the State.
According to the Ministry of Mining and Blue Economy, there are 46 fish landing sites in Mombasa.
However, the facilities have been grabbed by influential investors who have erected palatial apartments and hotels.
“In Turkana, we have no wanton grabbing of fishing landing sites like the rest of the areas I have mentioned. This is because the lake reclaimed its space. We will give notice to all fish landing sites grabbers to vacate the facilities but we will not use bulldozers,” said Mr Joho.
During his tenure as governor, Joho once clashed with a renowned confectionery tycoon over a prime beach plot at Old Town within the Tudor Creek.
In 2021, Mr Mohamed Ayub, who owns the Fayaz Bakers Limited, claimed ownership of a piece of land in contention, while accusing the county government leadership of oppression.
The tussle ensued after the county government halted the construction of a mosque on a piece of land that the tycoon claimed belonged to him.
The county government explained that it stopped the construction since it was affecting beach access and fishermen's activities.
However, the tycoon said he was only reconstructing an old mosque that has been turned into a drugs consumption den.
Other incidents which ended up in court involved the demolition of walls which the county government claimed blocked access to public beaches.
Meanwhile, Mr Joho has warned foreign trawlers against fishing in the Kenya Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) saying the State will utilise its technological investments to deal with such criminal activities.
Speaking to the media during a meeting with fishing stakeholders at the Kenya Maritime Authority in Mombasa, the CS said no such crimes have been reported so far.
“We are also working closely with our security agencies including Kenya Coast Guard Service among others to patrol our waters. We are monitoring our waters using the high modern technology and patrol boats to nab criminals engaged in such activities,” said Mr Joho.
He said more patrol boats will be deployed in the EZZ to deal with enforcement.
Mr Joho also said the patrol boats have enhanced surveillance to ensure Kenya’s Blue Economy resources are not stolen.
The CS urged members of the public to avail any information about illegal fishing to help the government arrest the situation.
