The national government has unveiled a comprehensive intervention package to improve access to essential services, security, and livelihoods for Coast residents, following high-level consultations in Mombasa between Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, CS Hassan Joho, and over 30 Coast MPs.
At the heart of the initiative is a civil registration drive targeting more than 500,000 adults in the region without national ID cards. The programme aims to unlock access to healthcare, education support, social protection, employment, and financial services for long-marginalised communities.
“For far too long, coastal residents, and residents from other counties have been suffering because of laws that were unfair, compared to others. We were many in the streets but when it came to important matters, we could not be counted,” noted Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sharriff Nassir.
Murkomen said the government will deploy live capture registration machines across the Coast and decentralise civil registration services to all subcounties within three months. He added that this will benefit counties like Kwale, Kilifi, and parts of Mombasa, where generations have remained undocumented.
“We have agreed with the leaders that we will deploy live capture machines to be used to facilitate registration. It’s not just about voting, remember these people cannot get affordable housing, SHA services, and other government services. The migration office is also going to visit Kwale, Taita Taveta and other border counties to ensure that those that are yet to be registered despite being married to Kenyans are registered and sort out the problems they face.”
The meeting also highlighted renewed efforts to boost security in the region. Authorities plan intensified operations against criminal gangs, drug trafficking networks, and illicit alcohol trade, focusing on dismantling supply chains rather than targeting users alone. Confiscated assets linked to drug crimes will support rehabilitation and recovery programmes for affected youth.
“This is a region that has been high prevalence of drugs, and it’s a problem here because of porous borders in other parts of the country. Because the president has declared that this is the year of dealing with drugs in our country, our focus is on dealing with those engaged in commercial use of high drugs. Our work is to ensure that we eliminate and arrest the main traffickers, we’ll not only arrest them, but we’ll go for their properties,” Murkomen stated.
Coastal youth will benefit from expanded rehabilitation infrastructure and employment programmes aimed at reintegration and curbing repeat offending.
“We were here last year for the Jukwaa La Usalama where we discussed matters especially around criminal gangs like Panga Boys. I’m happy to report that we have made significant progress. We are now having discussions on how we can engage these young people in other beneficial activities after they have been arrested, disciplined and reformed,” said Murkomen.
