Feb, 18th 2021 – Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi has found fault in the pace at which the construction of the Liwatoni fisheries complex in Mombasa is taking place.
Speaking during a tour of the facility, Matiangi said the works should be completed by the close of March 2021 as initially planned. Liwatoni fishing port is expected to be used as the sole lending site for all fishing vessels in Kenyan coastal waters.
The CS has now instructed fisheries Principal secretary Prof Micheni Ntiba and his national treasury counterpart Julius Muia to oversee the works to ensure completion in the stipulated time.
He was accompanied by Principal Secretaries (PSs) Major General Gordon Kihalangwa (State Department for Public Works), Dr. Julius Muia (National Treasury) and Coast Regional Commissioner John Elungata.
His concerns come five days after Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya toured the facility and said that it was ahead of schedule. The head of state had instructed that the first phase be completed by the end of March to pave way for the blue economy exploitation. He added that president Kenyatta wants the project done and delivered on time.
He said, “He ordered that we supervise and ensure that by end of March, phase one, which is ongoing is completed and operational with fish landing here, coolers working, and processing done.“
He added, “According to what we have been told by those working here, they are already ahead of schedule.”
Matiangi said that his tour is part of the recent presidential directive that PSs and CSs should go back to field visits to monitor the various government projects in the 47 counties.
He also said that a team of CSs and PSs will tour parts of the coastal region next week to inspect the development projects. He said, “The field visits by the senior government officials is to ensure that contractors working on various infrastructure projects across the country expedite the works and deliver on schedule.”