By Joshua Otieno | February 26, 2026
Newly elected Dhadho Godhana, the Chairman of Jumuia ya Kaunti za Pwani and Governor of Tana River County, has called for stronger unity and collaboration among the six coastal counties to jointly implement development projects, with a particular focus on agriculture.
Speaking during the Agricultural Revitalisation Summit held at Ocean Beach & Spa in Malindi, Governor Godhana said the practice of counties operating independently has weakened the coastal economic bloc and led to duplication of resources with minimal impact on citizens at the grassroots.
The summit was convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in partnership with the Agriculture and Food Authority. The event was officiated by Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, who served as the chief guest.
Governor Godhana said that, together with his five counterparts, he is committed to charting a new path for the coastal region through coordinated planning and implementation of development initiatives.
He noted that the Coast region is richly endowed with fertile soils and diverse agricultural potential, including coconuts, cashew nuts, sugarcane, cotton, rice, bananas, bixa, macadamia, maize, mangoes, cassava, green grams, and a strong livestock sector. Harnessed collectively, he said, these resources could transform the region into a major economic powerhouse.
“As JKP, we must strongly believe in a regional, aggregated and coordinated approach to solutions,” Governor Godhana said.
He stressed that agriculture challenges in the Coast cannot be addressed on a county-by-county basis, noting that ecosystems, markets, and climate-related challenges cut across administrative boundaries.
“Our ecosystem is shared, our markets are interconnected, and our challenges are similar. Climate change does not respect county boundaries, and neither should our solutions,” he added.
The JKP chairman emphasized the importance of embracing digital agriculture, value addition, and strengthening agro-business value chains as key drivers of regional growth and competitiveness.
However, he cautioned that success would require closer alignment between the national government and county administrations.
“In the past, the national government and counties have often worked in opposite directions. This is the time to change the story, align our efforts, and move in the same direction,” Governor Godhana said.
He concluded that enhanced cooperation would enable the coastal counties to pool resources, achieve greater development impact, and improve prosperity for residents across the region.
