Kenya Navy Launches “Operation Bahari Moja” to Lead Regional Fight Against Piracy, Drugs | Kenya Defence Forces
In a ceremony at Mombasa’s naval base, senior military officials flagged off multiple Kenyan naval vessels bound for Seychelles waters, underscoring a new phase of cooperation with Indian Ocean states in maritime security.
Defense spokespersons said the mission will focus on intercepting pirate skiffs, halting illegal arms movements and disrupting drug shipments that traffickers route through maritime corridors off East Africa’s coast.
The deployment comes amid escalating concerns from coastal nations about rising incidents of piracy and narcotics smuggling, which have affected shipping routes and local fishing communities.
Kenyan naval officers in Seychelles will work alongside regional partners under shared rules of engagement to patrol key sea lanes, monitor suspicious vessels, and support search-and-rescue missions.
Officials say Kenya’s maritime push reflects broader efforts by the Eastern and Southern Africa States’ Maritime Security Initiative to strengthen joint capacities against transnational threats.
