Deputy President Kithure Kindiki inspects Shimoni Fish Port in Kwale on January 7, 2025Deputy President Kithure Kindiki now says that the government aims to have the blue economy contribute at least Sh150 billion annually to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Speaking on Tuesday, Kindiki said the current administration has been deliberate in all efforts it has put in place to support the blue economy, from infrastructure to policies.
He said that currently, the blue economy only contributes Sh37 billion of the GDP annually.
“The Kenya Kwanza Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) Plan targets to expand the contribution of the Blue Economy value chains to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 37 billion Kenya shillings currently to 80 billion Kenya shillings annually by 2026 and thereafter to 150 billion Kenya shillings by 2027,” Kindiki said.
The DP spoke during an inspection visit to the Shimoni Fish Port, which is under construction.
The Sh2.6 billion project is set for completion on March 15, 2025.
It includes the construction of a modern jetty, a fish landing site, a warehouse to host a fish processing plant, a cold storage and ice-making plant, and a fish meat plant, among other support amenities.
Kindiki insisted that once operational, the Shimoni Fish Port will create jobs and enhance household incomes, impacting positively on the local community.
“This project will go a long way in helping our country to maximise the blue economy resources. It will create jobs for the people of Kwale and the Coast and uplift the economy of our people in this region.
“This is a project that speaks to the commitment of this government to improve the livelihoods of the people of Kenya, empower communities and create jobs for young people.”
The Deputy President added that the government is also undertaking other initiatives, including disbursing capital and operational grants to the fisherfolk to enable them to purchase modern deep-sea fishing boats and gear, to ensure maximum exploitation of the blue economy resources.
“One of the commitments that the President administration made during the campaigns was to transform the critical value chains that underpin the transformation of our country's economy, and in every region, there are value chains that contribute to economic growth, economic development.
“In the Coast region, the resources granted to us by God in this region, the sea, has the potential of transforming the economy of this region, the economy of this county,” Kindiki added.
He was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy Ali Hassan Joho, Principal Secretary for Fisheries and the Blue Economy Betsy Njagi, Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Captain William Ruto, Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani, Msambweni MP Faisal Bader, and other senior state officials.