Author: Coast Times Digital

By Alex Kalama A simmering land conflict in Magarini constituency is threatening the future of thousands of families who depend on the salt industry for survival. Residents of Kanagoni and Kurawa have urged leaders and the community to embrace dialogue with Salt factories, warning that continued hostility could collapse businesses, destroy jobs, and derail education opportunities. Local businesses say they are already feeling the pinch. Kadzo Karisa Wanje, a resident of Kanagoni, explained that her café thrives on truck drivers transporting salt from Kanagoni to Mombasa. “Drivers eat in my place. I also benefit. If KEMSALT is shut down, many…

CS Lee Kinyanjui hails progress of Taifa Gas project in Dongo Kundu SEZ and Base Titanium in KwaleCabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui has commended significant progress at the Taifa Gas project within the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone (SEZ), noting that the facility is approximately 80 percent complete and expected to be operational in the next two months.CS Kinyanjui said the development will add 30,000 metric tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage and distribution capacity.It was during his tour at the port of Mombasa, Taifa gas plant at Dongo kundu by pass and Base Titanium…

By Alex Kalama A simmering land dispute between residents and salt factories has thrown Magarini into crisis, leaving students stranded and thousands of livelihoods hanging in the balance. For decades, salt has been more than a commodity here it is the lifeblood of the local economy. Factories like KEMSALT have anchored livelihoods, supported education, and sustained small businesses. But now, uncertainty looms as the conflict threatens to dismantle this foundation. KEMSALT directly employs hundreds of workers in salt farms, transport, and logistics. Indirectly, it sustains countless others from food kiosk owners and fish vendors to landlords whose tenants are factory…

By Shaban Omar Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani has directed ward administrators to give priority to students who are yet to report to school during the ongoing bursary disbursement. The directive comes amid a nationwide crisis where thousands of learners remain stranded at home due to lack of school fees, despite schools reopening weeks ago. Kwale is among the 16 counties that recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o, paving the way for the immediate release of bursary funds to needy and vulnerable learners. Speaking on Friday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Salvation…

By Reporter A family in Kwale has called on president William Ruto to intervene and help their girl to join Mvindeni secondary school in Diani-Kwale after failing to take her to Kisumu Girls high school. The special needs family is unable to raise school fees amounting to over 22,000 shillings, uniforms and other items required for their 16 years old Rose Kerubo to join Mvindeni secondary school according to his father Thomas Nyakundi who is blind. Thomas and his daughter Rose have been moving from one street to another in Diani looking for a well-wisher to help them in vain.…

By Shaban Omar Access to electricity remains limited in the interior parts of Kwale County, leaving thousands of households reliant on traditional and often harmful energy sources. The Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP) is now stepping up efforts to change this reality, targeting underserved regions with clean and affordable energy solutions. Kwale is among 14 counties set to benefit from the initiative, which aims to connect 300,000 households through solar home systems, solar-powered community boreholes and 114 mini-grids across the country. The project is funded by the World Bank and the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Energy,…

By Lamu Reporter The national government, through the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), has officially commissioned a new edible oil processing facility in Lamu, aimed at reducing the country’s heavy reliance on imported cooking oils. Speaking during the launch of the Common User Facility in Mpeketoni that is set to benefit at least 20,000 farmers in Lamu, the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Agriculture, Dr. Paul Kiprono Rono stated that the facility is a core component of the Edible Oil Promotion Project, a national initiative designed to revitalize the domestic production and processing of oil crops such as sunflower, soybeans,…

By Alloys Musyoka The construction of Taifa Gas storage facility designed to handle significant volumes of LPG, with plans for a 30,000 to 45,000 metric tonne capacity is at 80 per cent and is expected to be launched by president William Ruto by March 2026. This was revealed by Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar who was accompanied by Special Economic Zones Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr.Kenneth Chelule during a site visit. The project began in 2023 after launching by president Ruto sitting on a 30 acres’ land, Abubakar said that 150 jobs were created during the construction…

By Alloys Musyoka The government has prioritized coconut value addition in the coastal region to unlock new markets, raise farmer incomes, and create industrial jobs for the youth, Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar has said. Speaking during a visit to the Kentaste coconut processing factory in Mvindeni, Kwale County, the PS said Kenya’s expanding market access gives local manufacturers duty-free and quota-free entry into major markets, including East Africa, Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and China. He noted that as the government opens new markets, the focus must shift to producing competitive…

By Mwajabe Omar Kinango Boys Senior School has recorded its strongest Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results yet, defying years of academic challenges linked to the harsh climatic conditions that define Kinango Sub-county. The school, located in one of Kwale County’s driest regions, registered a sharp improvement in its 2025 KCSE performance, sending 227 candidates directly to university. This represents 86.6 percent of the class, more than double last year’s 115 students. According to official results released last week, the school also raised its mean score from 6.426 in 2024 to 7.569 this year. Although the institution did not…