Author: Coast Times Digital

By Reporter The Port of Lamu made maritime history by receiving the MV Nagoya Express, the longest vessel ever to dock in East African waters, further solidifying its position as the region’s premier transhipment hub. The 335-meter container ship, operated by German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd, has officially set a new record as the largest vessel to call at any port in Kenya and across East Africa. The MV Nagoya Express successfully loaded 140 transshipped TEUs destined for New York, cargo that had initially been discharged at Lamu by another Hapag-Lloyd vessel, the MV Tolten. This landmark arrival underscores Lamu Port’s…

BY SHABAN OMAR Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani has vowed to take a firm and uncompromising stand against land grabbers, who she says are becoming a persistent menace in the region. Her sentiments come amid growing calls by thousands of locals for the government to address and resolve historical land injustices that have plagued the region for decades. Kwale is one of the coastal counties hardest hit by land grabbing, with only a small percentage of residents in possession of legal land ownership documents. Speaking during the official launch of a rural electrification project in Mkokoni, Matuga sub-county, Governor Achani said…

Plans to ratify the first transboundary marine Ramsar site in Kenya and Tanzania has gathered pace with environmental stakeholders led by the Wildlife Research Training Institute (WRTI) leading the process. The stakeholders have identified the Msambweni- Vanga circuit that cuts across Kwale County on the Kenyan side and northern part of Tanzania as the ideal site for the project that will cover 716 square kilometers if ratified. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WRTI Dr Patrick Omondi joined the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Senior Assistant director for Coast region Elema Habicha in launching a stakeholder’s engagement that will also involve…

BY SHABAN OMAR  More than 90 youth from Bongwe/Gombato ward in Kwale County have successfully completed a three-month intensive training programme focused on trauma healing, stress management, and behavior change. The initiative, targeting youth from maskanis (informal hangout spots) and those vulnerable to drug abuse and crime, aimed to equip participants with life skills that promote personal well-being, peacebuilding, and social responsibility. Bongwe/Gombato is among areas in the Kwale county flagged as hotspots for insecurity, youth delinquency, and criminal gangs. Many young people from the area have in the past been linked to organized crime, terrorism, petty theft, and drug-related…

By Alloys Musyoka Police in Diani Kwale county have arrested two suspects after uncovering a  clandestine drug lab. What seemed like a peaceful corner of Kenya’s beautiful coastline turned out to be the unexpected site of a major drug bust according to police. Police says they have uncovered a secret narcotics lab tucked away in a quiet neighborhood of Mwabungo village.. The arrest ,detectives says took place after days of discreet surveillance and intelligence gathering. A team from the Anti-Narcotics Unit and Kenya Police carried out a well-coordinated raid on a secluded one-acre compound. Police said that the hidden behind…

By Alloys Musyoka Police in  Lunga Lunga have arrested suspected members of a notorious criminal gang in Kwale. The arrest took place following a credible tip-off regarding the presence of a notorious criminal gang in the Ngeneni area, within Lunga Lunga Township. Police says that one of the individuals, believed to be a key gang member,is wanted on an active arrest warrant for murder and had reportedly been spotted in the company of his accomplices in the area. The officers swiftly moved to the location and raided a single-room house, where the suspects were found armed with machetes. During the…

BY SHABAN OMAR  After years of living in darkness, hope has finally dawned on Mkokoni residents in Kwale County following the launch of a rural electrification project under the Last Mile Connectivity initiative. The project was commissioned on Friday by Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani. The project is being implemented by Kenya Power in partnership with the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation REREC. Speaking during the launch Wandayi said the project is part of the government’s commitment to transform lives, spur economic growth, and improve access to essential services. “The President has made deliberate…

BY NURU SALIM An hospitality industry leader and gender rights advocate has called on female Members of the National Assembly to take a firm stand against sexism, harassment, and objectification in public and parliamentary spaces, warning that silence or tolerance of such behavior undermines the fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the country. In an open letter addressed to all female legislators, Pauline Nduva, a corporate executive in the hospitality sector and long-time advocate against SGBV in the workplace, expressed “deep disappointment” over what she described as an alarming trend of objectification directed at female MPs during public…

BY SHABAN OMAR  Project Management Committees (PMCs) from grassroots areas in Kwale County have received special training on how to assess the quality of development project implementation within their communities. The training was organized with the aim of empowering committee members to monitor, evaluate, and ensure that projects implemented by the government or development partners adhere to quality standards, provide value for money, and meet the real needs of citizens. The training was funded and coordinated by the non-governmental organization Muslim Women Advancement of Rights and Protection (MWARP), which emphasized that community participation in project oversight is a key pillar…

By Reporter The Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, Ali Hassan Joho, officially commissioned the first Marine Hatchery, Kibuyuni Seaweed Processing Centre and the Gasi landing site in Kwale County, marking a significant milestone in Kenya’s blue economy agenda. He was accompanied by Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani,Principal Secretaries from the State Departments for Mining Harry Kimutai and Blue Economy Betsy Njagi, Kwale Woman Representative Fatuma Masito ,Government Spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga, Msambweni MP Feisal Bader and MCAs from Pongwe and Ramisi. CS Joho hailed the projects as key drivers of sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities. “These investments represent…