Gov't bets big on Ksh.2.6B Shimoni Port to drive economic transformation

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki reiterated this commitment on Tuesday while inspecting Kwale County's Ksh. 2.6 billion Shimoni Fish Port, which is scheduled to be completed and commissioned in March 2025.

Accompanying him were 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 government officials.

The cutting-edge port will include a modern jetty, a fish landing area, a warehouse with a fish processing plant, cold storage and ice-making facilities, a fish meat processing plant, and other essential infrastructure.

Once operational, the Shimoni Fish Port is expected to be a cornerstone of Kenya's blue economy, promoting socioeconomic transformation by creating thousands of jobs and increasing household incomes in the region.

Deputy President Kindiki emphasised that the project is consistent with Kenya Kwanza's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) plan.

This initiative aims to increase the blue economy's contribution to Kenya's GDP from Ksh. 37 billion today to Ksh. 80 billion by 2026 and Ksh. 150 billion by 2027.

“To ensure the full potential of the blue economy is realized, the government is providing capital and operational grants to fishermen,” DP Kindiki stated. “These grants will enable them to acquire modern deep-sea fishing vessels and advanced equipment, facilitating sustainable and efficient exploitation of marine resources.”

The Shimoni Fish Port is a significant step towards realising the potential of Kenya's blue economy, reaffirming the government's commitment to long-term development and economic empowerment.