The Project Management Institute (PMI) Kenya Chapter has launched its Coast branch in Mombasa, in a move set to give project managers, government officials and business leaders across the region a stronger platform to fight wastage in public projects and improve service delivery.
The launch, held at Wild Waters Park in Nyali under the theme: Growing Together, Extending PMI Kenya’s Reach – One Branch at a Time, brought together professionals from the health, infrastructure, telecommunications and finance sectors, alongside county government representatives and academia.
PMI Kenya Chapter Board President Maureen Mbithi Ochang said Coast was chosen for the pilot branch because of the scale of ongoing public development projects in the region and the need to bring more professionals into organized, ethical project delivery.
“It’s not to say that we haven’t had project managers in Mombasa. But the work at hand now is to ensure that we include everyone, that we bring everyone together, and that we partner with as many relevant stakeholders as we can in the coastal region,” she said.
Ochang cited findings from auditors’ reports showing the country loses about Sh600 billion annually through poorly executed or abandoned projects, warning that every uncompleted hospital or road has direct consequences on citizens’ wellbeing.
“As a profession, we want to help fix that, but we cannot do it alone; we would like to do it together with the people of the Coast region,” she said, adding that PMI membership offers certification, mentorship and ethical training meant to professionalize project delivery nationally.
Ochang linked weak integrity among professionals to failures such as building collapses and institutional fraud, saying PMI’s ethical standards aim to build a culture of accountability among members.
“If we promise the local citizen a market, for example, and delay delivering it, that means a woman is losing an opportunity to earn a living to feed her children. I urge all professionals to take this value of integrity and professionalism seriously,” she said.
The Coast Branch is expected to offer training, certification and networking opportunities for project management professionals across the six coastal counties, with organizers saying it will help curb wasted public resources and strengthen delivery of projects that directly benefit residents.
Speaking at the event, Kilifi County Chief Officer for Tourism Promotion, Culture and Heritage Herbert Tawa Mwachiro welcomed the launch, saying counties are the main drivers of development at the Coast and need staff trained in project management.
He noted that Kilifi had been ranked top in the region in development expenditure by the Controller of Budget crediting the achievement to projects under Governor Gideon Maitha Mung’aro’s administration that prioritize services touching directly on residents’ livelihoods.
Mwachiro said the branch’s rollout would extend from Kilifi to Mombasa, Kwale, Tana River, Lamu and Taita Taveta counties, positioning the Coast region for structured, professionally managed development over the next two decades.
“These project management will extend to all the Coastal counties to show that the needs of our people are being met quickly, projects that impact lives and sustain livelihoods.
The numbers don’t lie: Kilifi is number one in development and we will continue to build our capacity as a county to ensure that even beyond the next electoral cycle, projects will continue to be delivered at this level,” Mwachiro said.
By Ramadhan Nassib
