The County Government of Mombasa is set to recruit youth from Beach Management Units (BMUs) to form a new marine inspectorate unit aimed at strengthening disaster response and enforcing marine safety regulations after the East African Ocean Festival (TEAOF) boat tragedy in Tudor.
Governor Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir said the recruitment process would start immediately.
“Commencing immediately, the acting CEC for Blue Economy, who is also the Deputy Governor, shall initiate a process of bringing on board a certain number of youth from every single BMU in this county,” he said.
“We’re not only going to take these young people on board pending their formal employment; they will be put on a paid attachment and taken for formal training on how to dive, rescue and conduct search operations,” added Governor Nassir.
The move comes after the capsizing of MV Dragon operated by members of the Kijiweni Youth Group left three dead. Old Town BMU helped in the search and recovery of the bodies.
Meanwhile, the governor announced plans to acquire a new rescue boat with support from the World Bank, and additional boats through county budget allocations.
“That boat is going to be purposely just for safety. We are also looking at our vote lines to buy extra boats. This will be a unit within the inspectorate, a marine inspectorate unit, to ensure we can save lives of our young people,” Nassir said.
The Mombasa County Public Service Board has been directed to fast-track the recruitment. “Safety cannot wait for anything else,” Nassir emphasized.
The marine inspectorate unit will work closely with the Kenya Maritime Authority and the Kenya Coast Guard to improve preparedness, enforcement, and rapid response to marine emergencies.