UN agency gives Sh19 million to aid Coast bloc

Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani Forum in Lamu PHOTO:COURTESY

Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP) has received a Sh18.6 million grant to facilitate its operations.

The money from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will fund the development of the Coast economic bloc's strategic plan that will identity projects to be implemented in the counties.

JKP brings together the counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Tana River, and Lamu.

William Kingi, the head of the JKP secretariat, said the grant was secured after the six governors assured FAO that the bloc is a non-partisan entity.

"The governors have written letters to confirm support for Jumuiya and endorsed funding from FAO. The blueprint, to be completed by July this year, will identify various projects in 14 sectors across the counties," said Dr Kingi.

He added that political differences would not derail JKP plans and that governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Salim Mvurya (Kwale), Amason Kingi (Kilifi), John Mruttu (Taita Taveta), Hussein Dado (Tana River), and Issa Timamy have promised to ensure JKP's success.

Once the blueprint is in place, counties will be expected to source for development partners and implement cross-cutting projects such as abattoirs and joint upgrading of the Coast General Hospital, which serves the residents of the six counties.

There have been concerns that the implementation of JKP programmes could stall due to political differences among the governors.

The relationship between Mvurya, the chairman of JKP, and Joho, the vice-chairman, has been frosty after the former ditched ODM for Jubilee.