Memories of Mtongwe deaths flood back after ferries stall

Saying he witnessed what happened on Thursday, Likoni MP Mwalimu Masoud Mwahima said all ferries should be serviced.

“Between now and December, when we expect the new ferries to arrive, the current ferries should be repaired thoroughly to stop frequent break downs,” he said and warned that “danger lurked” at the crossing.

The MP said he talked to KFS managing director John Ria, who promised to release the ferries at intervals for major repairs at the Southern Engineering Company.

This year’s Budget, according to Mwahima, allocated funds to the Dongo Kundu Project, earmarked as the alternative route to South Coast via Miritini.

He said: “Give me time to get you the right figures when I check the parliamentary books.”

For a long of time the Government has grappled with the idea of finding an alternative route to ease movement between Mombasa island and the South mainland. But the plans to build a bridge or underground tunnel have remained “a pipe dream” that experts doubt is attainable.

When problems erupt at the Likoni Channel, motorists get the brunt of it for having to endure hours of waiting to board the ferries which during peak hours are overwhelmed by tens of thousands of commuters.

Spending two to three hours before embarking from the ferries is an “agonising ritual”, Tiwi Beach Resort driver Ali Guya is familiar with. When he has a Likoni trip, he starts early to be on time to collect his seniors from the island. “There is nothing more frustrating than to be kept waiting without being told why,” he said adding that this wasted fuel and manpower.

An exhausted tour driver Hamadi Omar with five tourists waiting for their turn to board the ferry lamented that he had been waiting for three hours to cross the channel. They left Neptune Beach Hotel early on their safari to Tsavo East and Amboseli Game Reserve but ended up being trapped at the channel.

He thinks the Government should urgently develop an alternative route to save the tourism industry from relocating elsewhere due to the problems at Likoni Channel.

“Our clients cannot understand why it takes so long to cross the channel while the safari started early,” he said in Kiswahili so his passengers wouldn’t understand what he is saying.

Mr Ria blames lack of steel used for ferry repairs locally for the delayed maintenance of mv Harambee and mv Kilindini. “The prowls of these two ferries are in a pathetic state, but lack of iron materials which is a global problem, is also affecting us locally,” he said and added that immediately their agent got the materials the ferries would be released for major repairs.

His only hope of redeeming the situation at the channel is the expected arrival of two new ferries in December which he believes will alleviate the mid-course stalls and drift-away of current vessels.