The Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) is a multi-agency security service established under the Kenya Coast
Guard Service Act, 2018 to enforce law and order in Kenya’s territorial waters.
Where will the Kenya Coast Guard Service be based?
The office of the Kenya Coast Guard service will be based in Liwatoni Mombasa, with a strong presence in
Lamu, Kisumu, and Mombasa ports.
What is Kenya’s territorial waters comprise of?
Kenya’s territorial waters comprise
a) All natural water resources within the borders
b) Waters within 12
nautical miles of the country’s shore line (Territorial sea)
c) Kenya’s exclusive economic zone (200 Nautical
miles, beyond the territorial sea)
What is the size of Kenya’s Territorial Sea?
The sovereignty of a state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of the
sea. Kenya’s territorial sea extends 12 Nautical miles of the country’s shore line.
What is the Kenya Coast Guard’s jurisdiction?
The Kenya Coast Guard Service exercise powers over Kenya’s territorial waters and any other area
prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
When was the Kenya Coast Guard Service established?
The Kenya Coast Guard Service Act, 2018, was enacted, when President Uhuru Kenyatta signed it into
law. This paved way for the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government to
issue a gazette notice declaring November 2, 2018 as the commencement of the service’s operations.
What is the governance structure of the Kenya Coast Guard Service?
The Apex body of the service is the Council of the Kenya Coast Guard Service which is chaired by the
Cabinet Secretary Interior and Coordination of National Government. Others in the council include
Cabinet Secretaries of Defense, Treasury, Transport, Agriculture and Environment, the Attorney General,
the CDF, Inspector General Police and the Director General KCGS.
The Act also establishes the technical committee of the service which is chaired by the PS Interior. Other
members include the PS’s for Treasury, Fisheries, Environment, Defense and Transport. The Solicitor
General, CDF, IG, DG of the service, DG of the Kenya Maritime authority, the DG Kenya Ports Authority
and the DG National Intelligence Service also sit in the Technical Committee.
What is the role of the Council of the Kenya Coast Guard Service?
The Council provides overall policy leadership, coordination of partner departments such as Fisheries,
KRA, Ports authorities, and approval of budget and commissioning of operations.
What is the role of the Technical Committee?
The Technical Committee oversees Management and administration of the service, advice the council on
matters of the service, guides the Director General of the service on implementation of the council’s policy
and financial guidelines and undertakes all other relevant management duties.
What is the role of the DG, Kenya Coast Guard Service?
Brig. Vincent Naisho Loonena made history when he was appointed by the President, as the founding
Director General of KCGS.
He is responsible for the day to day administration, management and control
of the resources i.e. human, financial and technological; overall command of the disciplined and
uniformed service; oversees and implements the policies of the service.
Who does the Director General report to?
The Director General of KCGS, reports to both the council and technical committee.
What is the Exclusive Economic Zone?
Kenya’s Exclusive Economic Zone stretches 200 Nautical miles beyond her territorial sea. Kenyans has the
first right to exploit all economic activity covered by this zone. This includes fishing, drilling and other
economic activity.
What does the Kenya Coast Guard Service do?
Protect Kenya’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone from illegal invasion or exploitation.
This includes but is not limited to illegal and unregulated fishing, border disputes, piracy, human and drug
trafficking, illicit trade, smuggling contraband goods, degradation of the marine ecosystems, through
discharge of oil or dumping of toxic waste, sand harvesting destruction of coral reefs etc.
The Kenya Coast Guard Service will also ensure that vessels, sea farers and all users in the sea have the
necessary licenses approving their operations at sea, whether work, leisure or business.
This initiative will strengthen our border with a larger and related goal of mitigating its risks of
transnational organized crime through increased trans-border intelligence and information sharing
As a result, the service will contribute significantly to managing migration, improve internal security and
prevent of cross border crime
Is the Kenya Coast Guard Service part of the Navy?
No.
Impact on the Blue Economy
The overall aim of activating the Blue Economy is to double GP growth over the next 5-15 years. Kenya
has done very well in securing its airspace and securing exploiting its land based natural resources.
Launch
of KCGS provides a shift in focus and a huge recognition of the economic potential of our water based
resources and the need to secure and exploit them to our countries economic development.
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