Mining
Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has dismissed claims that his ministry used Sh1.6
billion to count fish across the country.
Speaking
on Thursday, during a briefing at the Works Building, Nairobi, the
CS sought to clarify the controversy, which was heightened following
allegations that the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs
spent a hefty sum during the last financial year.
“The
money was not for counting fish but for stock assessment, which includes water
patterns, and migration trends, among others, which requires thorough scientific
analysis,” Joho said.
“What
you didn’t understand, or what we need to break down, is what stock assessment
really means. When people go out there, we look at the entire ecosystem of the
ocean, the trends, the environmental issues, the breeding trends, the migration
trends, because they help."
Joho
further explained that failure to conduct such assessments could endanger
species due to a lack of data on how fishing affects the ecosystem.
Documents
presented on September 11, 2024, before the parliamentary committee chaired by
Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen, showed that a total of Sh3.6 billion had been
allocated to the ministry for a three-year fish stock assessment programme in
the Indian Ocean.
The
first phase of the programme, which started on July 1, 2023, and concluded on
June 30, 2024, cost Sh1.6 billion, sparking widespread public debate.
Addressing
concerns, Joho criticised the misconceptions spread on social media, urging the
public to understand the broader implications of the blue economy
and stressing that Kenya’s future economic growth is linked to a
well-managed blue economy.
“If you
want us to thrive as a ministry, as a country, where this opportunity becomes
our next economic frontier, we have to invest in it. What you should be asking is, show us the reports of the work that has been done. And we give you the
detail to it,” Joho said.
He assured the public
that the ministry is prepared to provide detailed reports to explain how the
funds were used, adding that the exercise was vital for sustainable fishing and
ensuring Kenya’s resources were not exploited by neighbouring countries.
“If
anybody attempts to say we should never do stock assessment, you are simply
telling us, allow our neighbouring countries to benefit from our very basic
goals,” Joho said.
The
Mining CS urged Kenyans to support the ministry’s efforts and not to be
distracted by misinformation.
“For
me, as a CS, I'll make the right decision that is in the interest of the
people. We will not be derailed. We will be focused on what needs to be done.
We ask that you support us in making the right and good decisions that are
progressive,” Joho said.