Phase one of the Sh1.49 billion Liwatoni Fishing Complex will be completed in December as the government has ordered the deployment of sufficient workmanship to ensure the contractor meets the deadline.
Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Mr. Salim Mvurya announced that the ministry assessed the progress of the project and established that 50 percent is done thus giving the contractor up to December to complete the construction.
Mvurya said the project is designed in a manner that is going to handle industrial fisheries products adding that the facility at Liwatoni provides an entire ecosystem where there is cold storage, processing and packaging.
He said that after all the processes are done, there will be a product that has been properly canned and ready for the market.
“This project is designed in a manner that will handle industrial fisheries products and it will provide an entire ecosystem for value addition. We need industrial fishing so as to benefit from the exclusive economic zone and this calls for a facility that is going to handle fish landing and fish processing,” he said.
The CS said that most fishermen fishing in the Indian Ocean are artisanal fishermen thus emphasizing the need for the Liwatoni fish plant. He said the government is steadfast in promoting the blue economy in the country, thus the urgency to seal all the loopholes in order to fast-track the project.
He said the Liwatoni Fishing Complex is in two phases: Phase one costs Sh1.49 billion and phase two to be done in partnership with the private sector.
“We paid the contractor Sh200 million in June and in this year’s budget, Sh500 million was set aside to fund the project. We are in talks with private investors for them to invest in Kenya’s Blue economy sector and this fish plant will serve the right purpose,” said Mvurya.
Mvurya noted that once the project is complete, it will give 3000 direct jobs to Kenyans adding that private companies have already shown interest to partner with the government and fish deep into the sea.
The CS said the plant has a capacity to hold at least 1000 tons of fish especially the tuna fish noting that it can accommodate more of the other types of fish sourced locally.
“The complex has previously faced delays in completion which were attributed to delayed payment to the contractor but we assure Kenyans that the government is committed and will work on finalising this plant by December,” he said.
The CS warned that they will not tolerate any form of malpractice that may cause further delays as he underlined the strategic importance of the project and emphasized its role in facilitating industrial fishing activities.
He said there are other projects that the government is doing for artisanal fishermen, which are the landing sites in different parts of the Indian Ocean.
“This includes the Shimoni fish port which is being done by Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). This is a project that we are following very closely and once complete it will create more direct jobs for the people,” he said.
By Chari Suche
