Mohammed Ali lists reasons why CS Joho’s ministry is underperforming
By Kenneth Mwenda, October 26, 2025Nyali Member of Parliament Mohammed Ali, also known as Moha Jicho Pevu, has launched a scathing attack on Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho, accusing his ministry of drowning in incompetence.
Through a statement shared on his X account on Sunday, October 26, 2025, Ali said the government has failed to unlock Kenya’s vast maritime potential seven years after hosting the Global Conference on Sustainable Blue Economy in Nairobi.
He argued that the promises made during that conference remain unfulfilled, leaving many young people at the Coast frustrated and jobless.
Ali said the plan to recruit 2,500 Kenyan seafarers annually for training and employment has not been implemented. He noted that many seafarers remain unemployed and those who get training struggle to secure placements abroad.
He also faulted the ministry for delays in issuing Seafarers Identification Documents (SIDs), which were promised in 2023. The absence of these documents, he said, has denied Kenyans access to about 10,000 well-paying jobs in international waters.
Ali further criticised the National Employment Authority (NEA) for demanding a Ksh1.5 million licence fee from recruitment agents. According to him, this has discouraged local agencies from participating in seafarer recruitment, forcing foreign ship owners to look elsewhere.
“For the youth along the Coast and Kenya in general, the hopes they once held for career progression in the maritime industry have begun to fade. The current Ministry of Blue Economy is out of depth with the challenges that continue to compound,” Ali said.
Maritime safety concerns grow
Ali’s remarks come as the Kenya Navy and other security agencies continue operations in the Indian Ocean. On Saturday, October 25, the Navy intercepted a dhow carrying Ksh8.2 billion worth of methamphetamine, 630 kilometres off the Mombasa coast – one of the largest drug hauls in Kenya’s history.
The seizure, alongside the recent Tudor Creek boat tragedy that claimed three lives during the East African Ocean Festival, has highlighted glaring weaknesses in maritime coordination and safety enforcement. Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir confirmed on October 13 that all bodies had been recovered, promising tighter controls and a new Marine Inspectorate Unit to oversee sea-based activities.