Author: Coast Times Digital

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…

By Anthony Zoka. Lack of knowledge on financial literacy among youth in Kilifi County has been named among the challenges dwindling their economic growth as 380 youth graduate courtesy of Shofco Sacco. According to Swalehe Munga, a financial trainer based in Rabai, there is a need to engage more youth in business and financial management for them to stand a chance of prospering through various empowerment programs by both the government and non-government organizations. Speaking at Kilifi, during the graduation ceremony, Munga stressed on the need to have proper measures to empower the youth with skills. “What Shofco has done…

By Nuru Salim. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has officially launched the inaugural FKF Kwale branch Beach Soccer League, as a major step toward the revival and professionalization of beach soccer in the coastal county. The 14-week-long league, which kicked off in late April is set to run until mid-August, features a total of 24 teams – 16 men’s and 8 women’s – drawn from across Kwale County. Local coconut product manufacturer, Kentaste Products Ltd, has stepped in as the official sponsor of the tournament, committing Ksh 1 million towards the initiative. The sponsorship is meant to cover the purchase…

By Alloys Musyoka Kwale county assembly speaker Seth Mwatela Kamanza has been elected the county assembly forum chair. He was the deputy chairperson of the county assemblies’ forum before his election. The County Assemblies Forum (CAF) is a coordinating body for Kenya’s 47 county assemblies, established under the Constitution of Kenya. It is composed of three members from each county assembly: The Speaker and two other members, one of whom must be of the opposite gender, elected by the county assembly Kamanza election is a clear indication of his leadership role in the devolved unit for the last three years…

By Derrick K’ogayo. After all is said and done; this is my personal opinion about our leaders. It’s time we get realistic about how political leaders handle people who are tasked with protecting them—specifically bodyguards and drivers. These women and men work long, hard hours in very sensitive environments, yet many of them face difficult and mostly overlooked conditions. There are those who cannot afford to satisfy their basic needs. Others return to substandard housing after spending a day protecting high-profile figures. These are not just workers—they are human beings with families, emotions, and personal limits. When support systems fail…

By Nuru Salim Kaya elders from Kaya Mtswakara have called on leaders from other kayas of the Mijikenda community to put aside their differences and embrace unity in a collective effort to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Mijikenda people. Led by Shaban Ndegwa, the elders made a passionate appeal during a preparatory meeting for the upcoming Chenda Chenda cultural celebration, urging kaya leaders from the nine Mijikenda sub-tribes to come together as brothers and custodians of tradition. Ndegwa emphasized that internal divisions and lack of cooperation among kaya leaders have weakened the momentum toward cultural preservation…

By DCI Caroline Wanjiku Mwangi, 25, learned the hard way that smuggling drugs is a fast track to jail time, not a holiday in the sun. The aspiring drug mule was nabbed by eagle-eyed Anti-Narcotics Unit detectives at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as she attempted to board a flight to Goa, India. Her travel plans hit turbulence when sharp-sighted detectives flagged her down for a routine check. A quick inspection of her luggage led to the discovery of two suspicious smaller bags tucked inside. Upon opening them, detectives found a white powdery substance neatly packed and wrapped in yellow cellotape,…