Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation Committee concludes receiving submissions from MDAs over the 2025 Budget Policy Statement

Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation Committee concludes receiving submissions from MDAs over the 2025 Budget Policy Statement

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 
𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓.

The Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation Committee chaired by Hon. Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East), has concluded receiving submissions from the MDAs under its purview, on the 2025 Budget Policy Statement (BPS). 

The Committee today met with the Principal Secretary, State Department for Blue Economy and Fisheries Ms. Betsy Njagi, and heard that the State Department has been allocated Kshs. 9.63 billion in the 2025 Budget Policy Statement, against a requirement of Kshs. 17.11 billion. 

The Senior Chief Finance Officer Mr. Martin Wamwea further took Members through crucial areas that require the Committee intervention on financing to enable completion of ongoing projects. 

"Hon. Members, we require an additional Kshs. 100 million to cater for the expanded mandate of the Blue Economy, Kshs. 23 million for court awards issued to Okeno and Sons, Kshs. 98 million to Kenya Fisheries Service, Kshs. 817 million to Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kshs. 1 billion for completion of Phase one of Liwatoni Ultra-Modern Fish Hub and Kshs. 1 billion for Fish Stock Assessment," submitted Mr. Wamwea. 

On the status of the Liwatoni Ultra-Modern Fish Hub, Hon. Charity Kathambi questioned the plans the State Department has, owing to the ongoing court case. 

"Chair, the Liwatoni project has been one of the flagship project in this country. And this is a project which was initiated in july 2021, and it has been on and off because of contractor issues, while the government has already used over 700 million in pending bills. by 2024, after the new contractor was engaged, the same project raised up to 2.7 billion Kenya shillings, with the completion date being probably June 2027. I would like to know, in light of the ongoing court case, what are we expecting from this project?" asked Hon. Kathambi. 

In response, the PS stated that the ongoing court case has hampered progress of the project as the new contractor cannot embark on it until the case has been concluded, assuring the Committee that once the ruling is made within next week, she shall be appearing before the Committee with a brief on the way forward. 

The committee shall be reviewing the submissions made and draft a report with its recommendations, that will be presented before the Liaison Committee for consideration.