Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime affairs Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has banned swimming along the beaches of the Indian Ocean past 5 pm following the death of two family members on Sunday.
Mvurya said the move is a precaution to prevent people from losing lives, especially this festive season with hundreds of people visiting the coast.
"We don’t expect to see anyone at the beach past 5:30 pm, and we have made this decision after wide consultations with different stakeholders," Mvurya said.
The developments come hours after two people drowned at the popular Pirates Beach in Mombasa on Christmas Day after their boat capsized.
Police said there were 12 people on board when the incident happened.
Mombasa County Police Commander Stephen Matu said the two were among 12 family members who had travelled from Nairobi and had hired a boat for a short trip into the deep seas off the usually crowded public beach in the outskirts of Mombasa city.
The CS also said they have directed that all boats operating in the ocean be inspected to ensure safety.
"We want all the boats to have safety gear such as floaters because we have realised that some have vests that even look like reflector jackets," he said.
Mvurya had toured Diani beach in Kwale county, together with top officials from the Kenya Maritime Authority led by chairman Hamisi Mwaguya.
He said his ministry has engaged all security agencies to ensure compliance.
