KMA Vows to Resolve Students’ Grievances at BMA
Kenya Maritime Authority Headquarter (Photo/ Courtesy)
By Harrison Kivisu
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has clarified that all academic certificates issued at the Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) are internationally recognised and accepted by International Maritime Organization (IMO) partner member states.
This is in response to concerns raised by a section of BMA students, who on Tuesday protested over what they termed as exorbitant fees, poor management, lack of sea time and delays in issuing of the Seafarer’s Identification Document (SID).
But while responding to the grievances raised by the students, KMA acting director general Isaiah Nakoru said Kenya was among the member states in the IMO “Whitelist” and thus all certificates are recognized globally.
“Kenya is a member state of the IMO and, among the member states in the IMO “Whitelist”. This means that the certificates issued by KMA to its seafarers are internationally recognised and accepted by IMO partner member states,” he said.
The authority now terms the protests as social media incitements that are intended to tarnish the name of the KMA and that of BMA which is being managed by KMA.
“There has been a lot of misleading information made to cause panic, made to mis-inform the public, on what KMA is doing and what BMA is doing. I want to report that we are engaging various stakeholders to solve the matter of SIDs which is part of the contention,” he added.
The DG explained that a multi-agency collaboration between KMA, the State Department for Shipping and Maritime, Immigration Services, National Registration Bureau and e-Citizen was finalizing the technical requirements on the system for issuance of the SIDs.
“On SID, a lot of work is ongoing. We are doing it under a multi-agency approach and very soon those who are supposed to get those documents will get them.
This essential travel document for seafarers will ease access to global job markets to countries such as Brazil and Poland.”
He said students should complete their studies first before demanding jobs while still in school.
The DG told them to remain patient as the government works to resolve some of the issues.
He said since 2022 seafarers’ number has grown from 5,000 to 16,000 in 2025 terming it a significant growth.
On the matter of seafarers Kenya concerns of unemployment, Mr Nakoru said that Kenya has signed Recognition Agreements with four countries – Panama, Liberia, Palau and Jamaica – creating a significant employment opportunity.
“These four countries have a combined ship register of about 14,000 ships on which our Kenyan seafarers can be engaged for employment.
KMA currently also regulates Seafarer Recruitment and Placement Agencies to improve the welfare of our seafarers and promote their access to employment opportunities.
Oversight of recruitment and placement agencies for seafarers has reduced the cases of disputes and abandonment since 2021 from a number of three cases annually to one or none to date.”
The media briefing was held at the KMA headquarters on Thursday March 21, 2025 and attended by Kenya National Shipping Line (KNSL) director Abdalla Khatmy, BMA board of directors chairman Kinadu Muragu among others.
The officials confirmed that the government and the KMA remain committed to seeing the growth of our Blue-economy sector as envisioned in the BETA MTP IV.
“We would like to reassure Kenyan students, seafarers, local and international stakeholders, ship owners and agents, that our Maritime Education and Training and certification standards up held to the highest standards of as set out in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW 78 as amended).”
