Sabrina Jefwa: Meet 25-Year-Old PhD Holder Earning KSh 242,550 As Kenya’s Youngest County Minister
At just 24, Dr Sabrina Jefwa made history on December 15, 2025, when she was sworn in as a County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in Lamu County.
She became one of Kenya’s youngest county ministers under the 2010 Constitution.
Jefwa was appointed by Lamu Governor Issa Timamy as Lamu‘s CECM for Fisheries, Blue Economy, Livestock and Cooperative Development.
This is her profile as told by WoK:
Education qualifications
Jefwa is one of the most educated young professionals in Lamu County.
She holds a PhD in Maritime Governance and Environmental Management from the University of Malaysia Terengganu.
She also earned a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from Swansea University, which she completed in 2023.
In addition, Jefwa holds a degree in Business, Law and Social Sciences from Nottingham Trent International College.
Her educational profile also features a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Law and Law Enforcement Administration from Nottingham Trent University.
Additionally, she holds other certifications from UNEP and the Sultan Ahmad Shah Maritime Academy (AMSAS).
Career journey
Dr Jefwa started her career as a maritime affairs advisor at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Nairobi.
From there, she became a part-time adjunct lecturer at the Technical University of Mombasa.
Before her appointment as Lamu’s CECM, she was working as a maritime advisor with the Western Indian Ocean Governance Initiative (WIOGI).
Jefwa is also an associate member of the Association of Maritime Practitioners in Kenya and the founder of the Sabrina Foundation. She is also
Salary
As a county CECM, Dr Jefwa is entitled to a basic salary of at least KSh 242,550 per month according to a 2024 SRC remuneration report.
She also receives a house allowance of KSh 80,000 per month as well as an airtime allowance of KSh 10,000.
She is also entitled to official transport provided by the County Government of Lamu, which includes a vehicle with an engine capacity that does not exceed 2000cc.
Additionally, CECMs receive annual medical cover for themselves, one spouse, and up to four children aged below 25 years.
The medical cover includes KSh 100,000 for maternity services, KSh 200,000 for outpatient services, and ksh 3 million for inpatient services.
The insurance also covers KSh 50,000 for optical services and another KSh 50,000 for dental services.
Development Plans for Lamu
In her acceptance speech, Dr Jefwa stated that she was already in talks with investors to set up a maritime training school in Lamu.
This would help boost the county’s economy and create employment opportunities.
She further stated that she would partner with shipping companies and recruitment agencies to seek more employment opportunities for the county’s youth.
“I urge all leaders and residents of Lamu to support my docket so that we can all enjoy the fruits of devolution together. Correct me when I make mistakes and support me when I make the right decisions for our people,” she said.
Since taking office, Dr Jefwa has participated in initiatives aimed at creating economic opportunities for Lamu residents.
For instance, she hosted the Blue Economy Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Incubation Bootcamp, held on September 10 and 11, 2026.
The event brought together 100 young people and women under the theme “From Funding to Sustainable Enterprise.”
The bootcamp offered training, business clinics, networking opportunities, and financing opportunities to the young people who attended.
