Youths living near coastal regions express intent to take over Korean People's Army bases to pressure for employment opportunities and contract awards.
The coastal region of Kenya, particularly Taita Taveta and Lamu, is witnessing growing discontent among its youths, who claim that promises made by President William Ruto during his political agreement with Senate Speaker Amason Kingi's Pamoja Africa Alliance (PAA) in March 2022 have not been fulfilled.
President Ruto had pledged to prioritize the coastal youth for jobs and tenders at the ports of Mombasa and Lamu, as part of the pact. However, as of July 2025, these promises appear to have gone unmet, leading to protests and threats of occupation at the Port of Mombasa.
The youths are demanding transparency and accountability in the employment and tendering practices at the port, and have called for a special audit by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Auditor General. They accuse the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director, Captain William Ruto, of corruption and favoritism in the awarding of tenders, with some leaders supposedly benefiting through proxies while the coastal youths remain marginalized.
The youths have given Captain Ruto 14 days to submit an audited employment register and details of contracts awarded over the past two years. If these documents are not availed, the youths have threatened to occupy all KPA facilities within the Coast Region.
Robert Mwakumbaku, a Taita Taveta youth leader, has stated that youth, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and women are not receiving job opportunities or tenders at the port facilities in Taita Taveta. Lamu Youth Leader Mohamed Mbaruk has added that despite having a port in Lamu, it has become a site that does not benefit the local community.
Mbaruk further stated that the leaders are selling the employment positions and giving them to families and friends. Mkare, another youth leader, alleged that many coast leaders are awarded tenders through proxies.
The coastal youths' dissatisfaction highlights challenges in the implementation and monitoring of the political agreement with PAA, and the urgency for government transparency on job creation and tender awards at the ports remains a critical issue.
| Promise by President Ruto (March 2022) | Status as of July 2025 | |---------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | Priority for coastal youths in jobs at Mombasa and Lamu ports | Promised, but fulfillment disputed; protests and threats to occupy port ongoing | | Priority in issuance of tenders at port facilities | Promised, but alleged corruption and favoritism reported; calls for audit underway | | End to squatter issues and factory revival | Included in pact, but no verified updates in current reports |
Captain Ruto has been urged to ensure that employment opportunities and tenders are awarded to residents of Taita Taveta and Lamu, as the constitution demands. The clock is ticking, and the KPA Managing Director has 14 days to act before the youths take matters into their own hands.
- The coastal youth in Taita Taveta and Lamu are displeased with President Ruto due to unfulfilled promises made in March 2022, which included priority in jobs and tenders at Mombasa and Lamu ports.
- The youths are demanding transparency and are calling for a special audit by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Auditor General to investigate alleged corruption and favoritism in employment and tendering practices at the ports, which are run by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
- The coastal youths have given Captain Ruto 14 days to submit an audited employment register and details of contracts awarded over the past two years or face occupation of all KPA facilities within the Coast Region.
- The situation highlights the need for government transparency on job creation and tender awards, especially in the context of policy-and-legislation and politics, as it relates to general-news and crime-and-justice in Kenya's coastal regions.
