About KCGS

Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS)

Linda Tufaulu

About KCGS

The Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) is a state agency established under the Kenya Coast Guard Service Act, 2018, to enforce maritime security, safety, and environmental protection within Kenya's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. Operating under the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of the National Government, KCGS plays a vital role in combating illegal fishing, smuggling, piracy, and pollution while safeguarding Kenya's marine resources.

Comprising highly trained personnel from the military, police, and civilian experts, KCGS conducts surveillance, search and rescue operations, and maritime law enforcement. The service collaborates with regional and international partners to enhance maritime domain awareness and ensure compliance with international maritime laws.

KCGS is committed to promoting sustainable blue economy initiatives, protecting marine biodiversity, and ensuring the safety of seafarers. Through professionalism and dedication, the service upholds Kenya's sovereignty and economic interests at sea, contributing to national security and development.

Core Mandate

KCGS aims to strengthen and enhance enforcement of laws and regulations applicable in Kenya's territorial and inland waters, in particular those relating to:

Maritime security and safety
Fisheries protection
Pollution control
Sanitation
Customs enforcement
Narcotic drugs
Prohibited plants
Psychotropic substances
Illegal firearms and ammunition
Protection of maritime resources

Legal Authority

KCGS is empowered to arrest and prosecute persons suspected of committing offences in Kenya's territorial and inland waters.

Emergency Response Functions

In addition, KCGS undertakes emergency response as maritime search and rescue and response to maritime spills.

Kenya Coast Guard Service

The Kenya Coast Guard Service is a multi-agency national security organ established under the Kenya Coast Guard Service Act, No. 11 of 2018. The Service was operationalized on 22nd October 2018 and officially launched on 19th November, 2018.

The launch of the Kenya Coast Guard Service was in recognition of the economic potential of Kenya’s maritime resources and the need to secure and exploit the resources for economic and social development. The establishment of the Service marked an important milestone in the enforcement of laws in the territorial waters.

Operational Mandate

According to the KCGS Act, the Service is deployed in the territorial waters (the inland waters, internal waters, territorial sea and contiguous zone of Kenya). The core mandate of the Service is to enforce Maritime Security, Safety and Protection of maritime resources within Kenya’s territorial waters.

Governance Structure

The apex body governing the Service is the Council which comprises of a Chairperson and nine members drawn from various government agencies executing mandates in the maritime domain. The Council is entrusted with overall policy, control and supervision of the Service. The Service is commanded by a Director General who is also the secretary to the Council.

Operational Presence

The headquarters is currently at Liwatoni, Mombasa with operations in the coastal region (Mombasa, Lamu, Kwale, Kilifi and Tana River counties), and the inland region (Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Busia, Baringo, Turkana and Nakuru Counties).

Rationale of the Study

Although KCGS was operationalized on 22nd October 2018 and officially launched on 19th November, 2018, it has not been able to discharge its mandate fully due to some challenges such as:

Inadequate human resource
Lack of requisite human resource policy instruments
Absence of other relevant guidelines to facilitate operations and delivery of services

The Service operates with nucleus personnel temporarily deployed from MDAs with mandates in the maritime domain.

It is in this regard that the Principal Secretary, State Department for Interior and Citizen Services and also Chairman of the KCGS Technical Committee vide letter OP/PA3/91A dated 25th September, 2019 convened a stakeholder meeting at Liwatoni, Mombasa to be held on 9th October, 2019. The meeting was to discuss modalities of empowering KCGS to deliver its mandate.

Therefore, to ensure professionalism in the exercise, a Team comprising officers deployed to the Service and officers drawn from the State Department for Public Service and the Public Service Commission was constituted to undertake the exercise.