By Andrew MwanguraEmail, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.comMore than five years have passed since Kenya formally committed to issuing Seafarers’ Identity Documents (SIDs) – a fundamental requirement in modern maritime governance. Since that pledge, the process has secured Cabinet approval, received Parliamentary endorsement, and been affirmed at the highest levels of government. Yet, Kenyan seafarers remain without this essential credential, stranded not by a lack of legal or policy frameworks, but by a profound administrative inertia. All that remained was the final step: procurement. Mr. Mwangura is an independent maritime consultant and former Secretary General of the Seafarers Union of Kenya (SUK).

Source: Daily Nation January 23, 2026 12:34 UTC