Author: Coast Times Digital

By Alloys Musyoka Kwale County Governor Fatuma Achani has urged residents to actively participate in the county’s development planning process, saying meaningful public participation is essential for achieving sustainable and inclusive development. Speaking during the County Annual Development Plan public participation forums held at Samburu and Taru Social Halls in Kinango Sub-County, Governor Achani said residents must be involved in identifying and prioritising projects that address their most pressing needs. “Public participation is very important because it gives our people an opportunity to tell us what they need and what should be prioritised in their communities,” Governor Achani said. She…

By Shaban Omar With political temperatures rising and fears of youth recruitment into electoral violence growing, stakeholders in Kwale have stepped up peace campaigns aimed at preventing young people from being used to cause chaos during the 2027 General Election. The stakeholders have urged the youth to reject political violence, remain peaceful and avoid being manipulated by politicians seeking to advance their interests through chaos. Speaking during International Youth Day celebrations in Ng’ombeni, Matuga, Social Services County Executive Fransisca Kilonzo urged youth to remain tolerant and peaceful during the electoral period. Kilonzo warned against politicians who may exploit the vulnerability…

By Reporter National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has said communities living in mineral-rich areas must benefit directly from the extraction of natural resources. He said the government will not allow investors to exploit Kenya’s mineral wealth without ensuring that local communities, landowners and county governments receive a fair share of the benefits to improve livelihoods and support their local development. Speaking during a fundraiser at Moyeni Girls Senior School in Kinango Constituency, Kwale County, on Friday, Wetang’ula said President William Ruto had tasked Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho with ensuring fairness and equity in the mining sector. The event…

By Alloys Musyoka A consignment of 43 tons of seaweed from the Kibuyuni seaweed farmers’ cooperative society in, LungaLlunga sub-county destined for export to Chile today flagged off Kwale deputy governor Chirema Kombo. Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at Kibuyuni, deputy governor Kombo said that the consignment marks a major milestone for seaweed farming in Kwale county. “The government under the leadership of Governor Fatuma Achani will continue working closely with seaweed farmers and strengthening their capacity to ensure the sector creates more employment opportunities for our people,” said Deputy Governor Kombo. County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock and…

By Shaban Omar Tension is rising in Nikaphu Village, Lunga-Lunga in Kwale County, as some residents reject the government’s plan to allocate a quarter-acre to each household under the squatters’ settlement programme. The residents, led by Ali Siaka Vuya, claim the distribution of the 270-acre parcel, which is expected to benefit 137 families, is being undertaken without adequate public participation and consultation. Vuya said they fear the allocation process could be manipulated to favour individuals who are not the rightful beneficiaries of the programme. “The whole affair is a total fraud. A quarter-acre is not enough for families like ours,…

By Shaban Omar The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered a 1.14-acre beach access road reserve worth Sh45 million in Kwale County after the land was declared public property by the High Court. Speaking in Diani on Thursday, EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud said the parcel had been unlawfully allocated to a private company through a 99-year lease issued in 1994. “The land was illegally grabbed in 1994. However, on July 14, 2026, the High Court in Kwale ruled that it is public land and ordered that it be returned to the people,” Mohamud said. He reaffirmed the…

By Alloys Musyoka The Government has launched an ambitious plan to revive the troubled Kwale International Sugar Company Limited (KISCOL), a move expected to restore thousands of jobs, revive sugarcane farming across the Coast region and inject billions of shillings into the local economy. Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Sen. Mutahi Kagwe has announced the formation of a high-level multi-stakeholder revival committee that will spearhead the reopening of the factory after years of operational challenges that have left farmers without a reliable market and stalled one of Kenya’s largest private sugar investments. Speaking during an inspection tour of the…

By Shaban Omar A new programme to help civil society organizations (CSOs) in Kwale County achieve financial sustainability has been launched to effectively dispense their duties. The initiative comes amid a shrinking civic space as many CSOs face dwindling donor funding, intimidation of human rights defenders and financial challenges that threaten their operations. Dubbed the Enterprise Development Programme, the initiative is being implemented by Inuka Kenya, Ni Sisi in partnership with the Kwale Civil Society Consortium (KCSC). Speaking during an engagement forum in Mvindeni, Inuka Kenya Programme Officer Eunice Wanjiko said the programme will equip CSOs and community-based organisations (CBOs)…

By Shaban Omar   For decades, the old Marere Bridge stood like a silent guardian between Kwale and Kinango, faithfully carrying thousands of travellers, traders, schoolchildren and farmers across the river.   It weathered raging floods, scorching sunshine and powerful winds, asking for nothing in return but the chance to keep serving the people who depended on it.   Year after year, it bore the weight of buses, lorries, motorcycles and pedestrians. It connected families, sustained businesses and kept the local economy alive.    The bridge links Kwale with Mombasa via Kinango-Samburu road opening up the area’s economy.   In…

By reporter Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho has ordered the immediate suspension of all mining operations by Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited over alleged failure to comply with key legal and regulatory requirements governing Kenya’s mining sector. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Joho said the suspension will remain in force until the company fully complies with the Mining Act, its regulations and all other applicable laws. The CS said the action followed years of engagement between the State Department for Mining and the company over its statutory obligations under the Mining Act, Cap. 306, the Mining (Licence and Permit)…