Author: Coast Times Digital

The Kwale County Government has taken a significant step towards modernizing revenue collection by introducing a digital revenue management system (RMS). This initiative aims to simplify the payment of business licenses, land rates, and other county charges to cash less making the process more efficient and convenient for residents. Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani says that the digitalisation of the revenue collection in the County will not only ease the burden for the businesses owners but also boost the County economy through the business charges. “For many years, businesspeople and landowners in Kwale faced the challenge of traveling long distances to…

By Primerose Omoto For years, farmers in Patanani village, Mwangulu ward of Kwale County, struggled with the harsh effects of climate change. Forests disappeared, rainfall became unreliable, and farms turned dry and unproductive—all largely due to deforestation for charcoal. Food insecurity and poverty grew worse with each passing season. But change is taking root. Thanks to the Global EverGreening Alliance’s Restore Africa Program, local farmers have launched the Visiki Hai Initiative—a powerful model of community-led environmental restoration. One of the key approaches being used is Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), which teaches farmers how to revive trees from old stumps and…

By Reporter The Ministry of Health and county health departments have been advised to include female genital schistosomiasis disease in the reproductive health docket to ensure that patients suffering from the disease receive proper treatment. This comes after a study conducted in various hospitals and clinics in Kilifi County by LVCT, a non-governmental organisation, found that 320 out of two thousand women tested were suffering from the disease, and received treatment for sexually transmitted diseases due to its symptoms, even though the disease is not sexually transmitted. Speaking in Kilifi during the launch of the study findings, Dr. Robinson Karuga…

By Nuru Salim Police in Kilifi County have arrested a suspected drug trafficker in a major crackdown that saw the recovery of five sacks of bhang with an estimated street value of over KSh 4 million. The suspect, identified as David Otieno Mairo, was apprehended on Sunday at the Broadway Apartment Hotel in the outskirts of Mtwapa town following an intelligence-led operation by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and local police. According to Kilifi South Sub-County Police Commander Hassan Kochale, the suspect had been on the police radar for several months. “Our officers from the DCI got…

By Kilifi reporter Riders braved the chilly weather in Watamu, Kilifi County to compete in the 7th edition of the Arabuko Sokoke MTG challenge that saw Joseph Nyaga emerge victorious. Nyaga from team SOSSI clocked 3:29 minutes followed by Benard Njoroge of team Amani who came second in 3: 30 minutes while Ephantus Gicheru came close third clocking 3: 30 minutes. Kendra Masiga of team Black Mamba Development Squad topped the women’s category in 4:11 minutes followed by Nancy Debe of team Kothbiro with 4: 11 minutes while Monica Jelimo of team Black Mamba Development Squad emerged third in a…

By Alloys Musyoka Kwale County has officially launched a public participation exercise aimed at gathering citizen input on the proposed 2025–2026 Finance Bill, the supplementary budget for the 2024–2025 financial year, and the Biashara Revolving Fund across the 20 Wards. The exercise involved various stakeholders including the general public, Kwale County representatives and the County budget Committee, giving the Kwale County residents the opportunity to express their views on the proposed County development projects. The four-day engagement, which kicked off on Monday, was held across five wards—Tiwi, Waa Ng’ombeni, Bongwe Gombato, Ukunda, and Kinondo. Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani emphasizing on…

By Agnetta Okwemba Kwale County is set to boost livelihoods through a transformative tree-growing initiative as part of the Restore Africa Program, a 30-year land restoration project led by World Vision Kenya. The program, running in five Kenyan counties – Kwale, Kilifi, Narok, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Migori – seeks to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded land, uplift 250,000 small-scale farmers, and sequester 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. In the heart of Lunga Lunga Sub- County, Kikoneni Ward, we meet John Mutuku tending to his 5-acre farm, which now includes fruit trees alongside his regular crops of kale, eggplant, okra,…

By Nuru Salim There is mounting public anger in Kilifi County following the assault of nominated Member of County Assembly (MCA) Elina Mapenzi during a committee session at the Kilifi County Assembly on Monday, May 12. Mapenzi, a nominated MCA under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), was allegedly punched by Watamu Ward MCA Ibrahim Matumbo and his colleague Twahir Abdulkarim during a dispute over the county’s Financial Bill. The incident occurred within the precincts of the assembly during a session of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. The assault has sparked widespread condemnation from residents, women leaders, and civil society organizations,…

By Nuru Salim The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched investigations into the alleged grabbing of the historic Kongo Mosque land in Diani, Kwale County, amid growing public outcry and concerns over the loss of cultural heritage. The 16-acre piece of land-registered under the Kwale Islamic Centre in 2012—is at the center of a heated dispute between a private family claiming ownership and the mosque’s management committee. The land, located where the Mwachema River tributary, popularly known as the Kongo River, meets the Indian Ocean, is home to a mosque believed to date back to the 14th century and…

By Alloys Musyoka Kwale leaders have poked holes in the proposed 2025-2026 budget saying that it does not represent the face of the country as many stalled national projects are being left out of the budget proposal. The 2025-2026 budget estimates of 4.3 trillion has been subjected to public participation by the parliament to enable Kenyans to give their views. During the budget public participation at the Culture center in Kwale it emerged that Kwale county will get a 0.001 per cent development budget of Sh700 billion. Also some of the proposals are a Sh100,000 project for correctional services in…