Public set to gain access to all coastline beaches

Mombasa, Kenya: The public will now be allowed access to all beaches falling within the county's coastline.

This comes after the assembly passed a motion demanding that hoteliers and private investors pull down the high-rise walls that bar the public from accessing the beaches so as to promote recreation and small businesses.

Currently, residents and visitors are only allowed on the congested Jomo Kenyatta and Shelly public beaches.

A motion by Frere Town Ward Representative Amir Thoya stated that only one per cent of the shoreline was accessible to the public, while the rest has been blocked by private investors.

"This limited access to the beach has resulted in congestion at the two beaches, which is detrimental to both the security and the economy of Mombasa," Mr Thoya said.

The MCA said the beach access routes have physical barriers and some have been developed or modified although they are meant for public use.

The MCAs directed the House Lands Committee to liaise with the Lands executive to constitute a task force to embark on identification and gazettement of all public beach sites within the county.

Thoya also wants the Lands executive to issue a public notice to all developers of beach routes to remove gates, fences and rock walls among other blockages to the beaches.

"We want to take advantage of the legislature to force private developers to pull down the blockages to the sea and allow the public free access," he told the assembly.