Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchuma Murkomen outlined his plans to fortify the Kenya Coast Guard Service with additional Coast Guard ships, staff, and equipment while increasing their efforts in their crusade against drug smuggling along the inland waterways in the country.
Addressing a gathering in Kisumu on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Murkomen explained that the Coast Guard boats and lack of human resources were hampering Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) officers as they struggled to monitor major waterways while the threats to security were increasing.
The KCGS was founded in 2018, with the aim of ensuring that Kenya’s maritime and inland water bodies are safe. Murkomen, however, revealed that the force was stretched thin and needs immediate bolstering.
“We need more boats, more officers, and more support,” he told reporters yesterday, warning that traffickers are taking advantage of inadequate patrols at major water-border areas.
Fixing coast guard boats and increasing the number of officers deployed
However, Murkomen explained that human traffickers are now mainly using Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana as points of entry for contraband such as illegal liquor due to a worrying trend associated with the 2026 anti-drug war launched by the government.
“These lakes are boundaries between international countries. If we are not able to protect them, then drugs, as well as illegal business, come into the country,” he said.
To address the concerns, the CS said the government is cooperating with the Kenya Shipyards Limited and the Ministry of Defence to renovate nine Coast Guard vessels, four of which will be done in Kisumu and the remaining five located along the Coast.
He also opined that 200 more officers are going to be deployed in the service and they will come from newest recruit intakes in Kenya Defence Forces and National Police Service.
Murkomen also spoke about the concerns raised by fishermen on Lake Victoria of having been harassed and attacked while fishing in their waters during the visit.
Kenya, according to the concerned parliamentarian, had a cooperation agreement with Uganda regarding the management of the lake. Nonetheless, the government was going to improve its capability of protecting its people.
“Remember, we already have a governance agreement with the Ugandan government on partnership we would like to respect it but also would like to develop our team in a way that would allow us to react accordingly,” he said.
The Governor of Kisumu, Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, has applauded the move by the government, stating that the security along the shores will ensure that the fish farm industries in cages are also safe from theft and damage.
Murkomen also promised the provision of more services for the people and the professionalisation of the uniformed services, as well as dealing with corruption and ensuring that police officers respect human rights as a means “Security on our lakes and waters is a high priority for government, especially in relation to smuggling rings that continue to take advantage of weaknesses along borders,” he said.
