Author: Coast Times Digital

By Nuru Salim More than 20 pregnant women have died in Kwale County this year, according to figures from the County Health Department. The grim tally has sent shockwaves through health circles and raised serious questions about access to timely and adequate maternal care in the Kwale. The spike comes as Fanikisha Foundation, a reproductive health-focused organization, sounded the alarm this week, warning that if the trend continues unchecked, the 2024/2025 period could end up worse than the already troubling numbers of 2023/2024. “According to statistics we have a challenge of mothers attending the antenatal clinics. Ideally, mothers are expected…

BY SHABAN OMAR  A section of Kwale KUPPET teachers has intensified calls for the resignation of Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin, and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen following the mysterious death of a Homa Bay school teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody in Nairobi. This comes just a day after Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat stepped aside to pave the way for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death, which has sparked national outrage and widespread condemnation. Speaking during a press briefing at Kwale Baraza Park…

BY SHABAN OMAR Youth in Kwale County have been encouraged to form organized groups to tap into available entrepreneurship opportunities and funding. Lunga-Lunga Youth CBO Program Coordinator Janice Mbingu said there are numerous government and donor-funded programs targeting youth empowerment, but organized groups stand a better chance of benefiting. Mbingu noted that recognized and registered groups offer a more structured pathway to socioeconomic development and self-reliance. “It is easier for the government and other development partners to support people in a group rather than individuals. With the power of unity and shared vision, comes greater success,” she said. She urged…

By Nuru Salim An 11-year-old girl has died after a fire razed down a rental house in Mbuyuni village, Timbwani Ward in Likoni. The tragic incident occurred at around 2am on Saturday, leaving residents devastated and a family grappling with the loss of a child and all their belongings. According to Fatuma Ziki, one of the residents of the six-roomed house, the fire broke out while two children were asleep and quickly engulfed the building. Their mother was reportedly away visiting a sick relative at the time of the incident. Efforts to save the children were hampered by heavy smoke…

BY OMAR SHABAN Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani has announced plans to upgrade several vocational training centres (VTCs) into centres of excellence as part of her administration’s effort to empower youth through technical and vocational education. Speaking during the commissioning of a new administration block at Msulwa Vocational Training Centre in Matuga, Achani said the county is working on strategies to transform the facility and others including Manda, Ukunda, Kinango, and Mavirivirini into high-capacity institutions offering specialized training in key trades. “We want to equip our youth with relevant and competitive skills that match the demands of the evolving job market,”…

BY SHABAN OMAR Chief Lady Justice and President of the Supreme Court, Martha Koome, has issued a stern warning to magistrates and court users over involvement in corrupt practices. Koome said that the judiciary is committed to uprooting all forms of misconduct that fuel corruption, in a bid to uphold integrity and reinforce the justice system. “The Judiciary is a corruption-free zone. We are firmly implementing zero-tolerance policies to stamp out this vice from our courts,” she said. The Chief Justice disclosed that there have been reported cases of fraudsters soliciting money from plaintiffs and defendants, falsely claiming to be…

By Alloys Musyoka Two Kenya Air Force officers died on the spot after aircraft accident in Kwale. The accident is said to have taken place at Viramboni village within Ndavaya ward in Kinango. Kwale county commissioner Stephen Orinde told media that security officials were heading to te site qs investigation begins. While confirming the incident Orinde said that the cause is still unknown.

By Alloys Musyoka Hydrocele patients and expectant mothers in need of surgical services in Mkongani, Matuga Sub County, have breathed a sigh of relief following the elevation of Mkongani Health Center to a Level 4 hospital. The upgrade, which was carried out in February of this year by Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani alongside President William Ruto, marked a significant milestone in enhancing access to essential surgical services in the region. In previous years, patients requiring surgery had to travel long distances to access treatment in distant health facilities, such as in Kwale, Kinango, Msambweni, or even Coast General Hospital in…

By Nuru Salim Kenya’s record Ksh4.2 trillion budget for the 2025/2026 financial year has stirred debate among coast leaders, with a call to channel more government attention and resources toward indigenous crops that drive rural livelihoods in Kwale County. Speaking during a public participation session on the Finance Bill at the Kwale Cultural Centre, Matuga MP Kassim Sawa Tandaza urged the National Treasury to zero-rate agricultural inputs and outputs for crops such as cashew nuts, coconut, and Bixa. He said that supporting these other indigenous crops from the coastal region would directly improve household incomes and unlock agro-industrial potential in…

By Nuru Salim Over 3,000 mangrove trees were planted in Chale and tonnes of plastic waste collected along Diani in Kwale County on Wednesday, as NCBA Bank led a high-impact environmental campaign to mark World Environment Day 2025. The event, held on June 5 at Chale, brought together government agencies, private sector partners, and local communities in a large-scale effort to restore fragile marine ecosystems and curb plastic pollution under this year’s global theme, “Ending Plastic Pollution.” Spearheaded by NCBA Bank in partnership with the Boreka Group, Kenya Forest Service KFS, the National Environment Management Authority NEMA, the Kwale County Government…