President William Ruto’s introduction of Hassan Joho as the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs during a development tour in Sagana on Saturday was met with enthusiastic cheers from the residents.
Stopping to address the crowd, the President explained that he had asked Joho to focus on streamlining the fisheries sector in the county. When he mentioned Joho’s name, the audience erupted in applause, prompting Ruto to pause and share a laugh over their warm reception.
Ruto stated that he had instructed CS Joho to increase the production of fingerlings in Kirinyaga County from one million to five million by next year. “And I have told the new Cabinet Secretary Ali Hassan Joho, who is here (cheers, as Ruto laughs), to camp here until this project is streamlined. We have agreed to increase investment in that project, aiming for fingerling production to rise from one million in the short term to five million,” the President remarked.
He highlighted that Sagana is renowned for its fingerling production, supplying much of the country. However, he pointed out that there has not been an effective plan to enhance the sector. Ruto announced that he would collaborate with the African Development Bank to secure more investment in fingerling production and the fisheries sector overall.
“You are well-known for fingerlings and supply most parts of Kenya with fish fingerlings, but there is no solid plan for it. I want to assure you that the Kenyan government will work with the African Development Bank to secure adequate funding to double your production of fingerlings,” he stated.
This marks President Ruto’s first working tour with Joho as the Maritime Affairs CS, following Joho’s appointment to the reconstituted Cabinet after Ruto dismissed his first Cabinet on July 11, 2024. The President is also expected to launch several development projects in Kirinyaga on Saturday.
