Hassan Joho Discloses Govt Spent KSh 1.6b To Count Fish In Indian Ocean, Angers MPs

• Mining CS Hassan Joho appeared before the National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water, and Irrigation to answer audit queries
• The committee led by Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen revealed the ministry was allocated KSh 3.6 billion over a three-year period to evaluate fish stocks in the Indian Ocean
• The project's first phase, which cost the Ministry KSh 1.6 billion, started on July 1, 2023, and ended on June 30 this year

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The Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs has disclosed that it spent KSh 1.6 billion on fish stock assessment in the Indian Ocean in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, enraging lawmakers.

Why Hassan Joho angered Kenyan MPs

Members of the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water, and Irrigation of the National Assembly expressed concern that the exercise had no value for money because it produced no concrete outcomes.

In their appearance before the committee on Tuesday, September 10, Cabinet Secretary (CS) Hassan Joho and Principal Secretary (PS) Betsy Muthoni Njagi disclosed information regarding the assessment programme's expenses for the last financial year.

Records presented to the house committee, tabled by Marakwet East Member of Parliament (MP) Kangogo Bowen, indicate that the ministry was allocated KSh 3.6 billion over a three-year period to evaluate the fish stocks in the Indian Ocean.

“Out of that assessment, what was the end product? Do you have anything to give us? We gave you about KSh 3 billion to do some stock assessment in the first year. At this point, you should be telling us and telling the country that we have this number of Tuna Fish, this number of Tilapia, etc. We gave you the money so we can know what we have in our waters," Kangogo fumed.

When will fish counting be completed?

The project's first phase, which cost the Ministry KSh 1.6 billion, started on July 1, 2023, and ended on June 30, 2024.

The project was expected to be completed in three phases and finished in the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Tiaty MP William Kamket questioned why the nation was spending billions on fish counts when there were more important national matters to consider.

“So you are telling this committee that you were allocated the billions just to count fish in the ocean?” he posed.

KWS conducts census

In other news, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) launched a national census for wild animals.

The exercise aimed to preserve and protect wild animals from dangers ranging from forest fires to poaching.

KWS officers carried out the programme at the parks where they were stationed across the country.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke