When members of Parliament found out that the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs had spent Ksh. 1.6 billion during the fiscal year 2023/24 to evaluate the condition of fish in the Indian Ocean, they were taken aback.
The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water, and Irrigation summoned Hassan Ali Joho, the Cabinet Secretary for Blue Mining, and Muthoni Njagi, the Public Service Secretary, to explain whether or not the government received value for the money it spent on the exercise.
In order to evaluate the levels of abundance and productivity, fish stock assessment is the process of collecting, evaluating, and reporting on the status of fish and the locations where they breed.
“So you’re telling this committee that you received billions just to count fish in the ocean?” MP William Kamket from the Tiaty constituency posed this question.
The Joho-led team responded by stating that the stock evaluation is a global process that occurs in every country with an interest in the blue economy.
The Cabinet Secretary continued by emphasizing the importance of conducting a study to evaluate the marine species in these waters before inviting investors to bring their boats to Kenya.
“As a country, we must understand where we are, so that when we defend a position, it’s based on detailed scientific research,” Joho told reporters.
“The evaluation provides us with information about our licensing framework. Without an evaluation report, we cannot convince investors to come to Kenya alone.
The process extends beyond simply counting fish. He went on to say that understanding the entire ecosystem is necessary in order for us to comprehend the zoning that exists in the ocean.
Not only that, but the members of parliament were furious when Joho’s team asked for an extra 600 million Kenyan shillings to finish the first part of the exercise.
The team’s need for additional funds baffled them, given that the evaluation had already concluded.
PS Njagi reported that they completed the activity in stages and planned to use the funds to finish the exercise that ended last year.
According to her explanation, the stock evaluation will be completed in three stages and finished in the fiscal year 2025/26, with a total of Ksh.3.6 billion.
Three years is the duration of this framework contract. “Every year, it is 1.2 billion Kenyan shillings,” Njagi said.
Despite explaining the exercise’s importance, the members of parliament expressed concerns about its value for money. They said that the fish business barely manages to generate fifty million Kenyan shillings on an annual basis.
CS Joho assured the committee that if investors start to participate, the industry will have a return on investment.
