Nyali Member of Parliament Mohammed Ali, popularly known as Moha Jicho Pevu, has raised serious concerns about how Kenya’s Blue Economy is being managed, accusing Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho of allowing the ministry to fall into inefficiency and stagnation.
His remarks, shared through his official X account on Sunday, October 26, 2025, questioned why Kenya’s maritime sector continues to struggle despite its enormous potential and years of government promises.
Ali said that seven years have passed since Kenya hosted the Global Conference on Sustainable Blue Economy in Nairobi, yet very little has changed on the ground.
He noted that many of the commitments made during that international gathering have not been fulfilled, leaving the coastal region’s youth increasingly frustrated and jobless.
According to him, the government’s inaction has turned what could have been a thriving economic frontier into a neglected sector.
He cited the failed plan to recruit and train 2,500 Kenyan seafarers each year, saying that such an initiative could have opened doors to thousands of well-paying jobs. Instead, many trained seafarers remain idle while others who manage to complete their training struggle to find placements abroad.
He added that the delays in issuing Seafarers Identification Documents, which were promised in 2023, have further worsened the problem.
Without these documents, he explained, many qualified Kenyans have missed out on opportunities for employment on international ships, losing access to nearly 10,000 jobs that could have benefited local families and communities.
Ali also turned his criticism toward the National Employment Authority, accusing it of frustrating the recruitment process by demanding a Ksh1.5 million licence fee from local recruitment agents.
He said such high costs discourage local agencies from participating in the industry, forcing foreign employers to turn to other countries for skilled workers.
This, he argued, has created an unnecessary barrier for Kenyans eager to join the maritime workforce and undermined the nation’s capacity to benefit from its strategic ocean resources.
He lamented that for many young people at the Coast, the optimism they once had for building careers in the maritime industry is slowly fading.
In his view, the Ministry of Blue Economy has failed to grasp the challenges facing the sector and lacks a proper strategy to turn things around.
Ali’s remarks come at a time when maritime safety and security have become pressing issues. Just a day earlier, the Kenya Navy intercepted a dhow carrying methamphetamine worth Ksh8.2 billion, about 630 kilometres off the Mombasa coast, marking one of the country’s biggest drug seizures in history.
The incident, along with the recent Tudor Creek boat tragedy that claimed three lives during the East African Ocean Festival, has exposed serious lapses in maritime coordination and safety enforcement.
Following the Tudor Creek incident, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir confirmed that all bodies had been recovered and pledged stronger oversight of sea-based operations.
He announced plans to establish a new Marine Inspectorate Unit to ensure compliance with safety standards and prevent similar tragedies.
Ali’s criticism and the recent events at sea have renewed national debate on whether the Blue Economy Ministry is living up to expectations.
Many Kenyans believe that with proper management, the country’s coastline could generate thousands of jobs, boost trade, and improve livelihoods. However, as Ali’s statement suggests, without urgent reforms and accountability, Kenya risks letting its maritime dreams sink before they ever take off.
