The Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, designated Homabay County as the host for the 2025 Madaraka Day National celebrations. The event will take place at the newly rehabilitated Raila Odinga Stadium, expected to accommodate over 10,000 guests, including top government officials, international delegations, and private sector stakeholders on Sunday, 1 June 2025. H.E Hon Dr. William Samoei Ruto, PhD, CGH, the President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces is expected to lead the celebrations. Nataša Pirc Musar, the 5th President of Slovenia is expected to grace the celebrations.
Preceding the celebrations, a summit on blue economy and maritime affairs was held at Tom Mboya University from 28 to 30 May 2025 with the theme, ‘Harnessing Kenya’s Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs for accelerated socio-economic development’ The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, academia, and international organizations to explore opportunities, challenges, and policy interventions in Kenya’s Blue Economy and Maritime Sector. The President of Kenya graced the summit and officially closed it on Friday, 30 May 2025.
The maritime sector being one of the key pillars supporting our national and regional economy now contributes approximately Ksh 178 billion annually to the GDP with a potential to triple through smart investments and bold policy reforms. It is for these strategic reasons that the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs convened the 3-day thematic summit. In preparations for the much-awaited Madaraka Day 2025 celebrations, the thematic summit couldn’t have come at a better time with Day 1 theme being “Maritime Trade and Logistics,” and Day 2 theme being “Fisheries and Aquaculture”.
KSL and TMU are creating a novel of academia and industry collaboration to build the proposed Centre of Excellence (CoE) in shipbuilding, repair, maintenance and training domiciled in Tom Mboya University in Homa Bay County. The President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces was given a brief on the proposed CoE on 30 May 2025 at Tom Mboya University. The President was accompanied by RT Hon. Raila Odinga, CS National Treasury Hon. John Mbadi, CS Mining and Blue Economy Hon. Hassan Joho, Homa Bay Governor H.E Gladys Wanga, Kisumu Governor H.E Anyang’ Nyongo, Siaya Governor H.E James Orengo, PS Ms. Betsy Njagi, PS Mr Raymond Omolo, Members of Parliament from the National and County Government amongst other public and private sector leaders. Vice Chancelor Tom Mboya University, Prof Charles Ochola and the Managing Director KSL, Maj Gen S M Farah jointly hosted the President.
The CoE will complement academia and industry capabilities to create a pool of competent maritime workforce attuned to the evolving needs of the dynamic maritime landscape. In line with the Recognition of Prior Learning policy (RPL), a framework which recognizes and validates competencies gained outside traditional education settings, the training will further develop a critical mass of skilled and semi-skilled personnel through skilling, upskilling and reskilling of workforce, professionals and artisans in readiness for local and international labour market.
The CoE is a key initiative that will provide long term industry-relevant employable skills in the maritime sector and give opportunity for the fisherfolk to contribute to the labour market and national GDP.
During the regional tour, the Head of State also inspected the Homabay Pier whose Phase I construction has been completed by KSL.
