Relief for Coast residents as ferries arrive

Mombasa residents have received with jubilation and sighs of relief the arrival of two new ferries, which are expected to make their movement across the coastal city’s channels easier and safer.

The vessel carrying the ferries, Mv Beluga Singapore was ushered through the Likoni channel by excited commuters Wednesday as coxswains steering three older models hooted in response to the huge vessel’s call.

The Kenya Ferry Services managing director Musa Hassan Musa told journalists at the port after the ship docked from Hamburg, Germany: “It is a big relief to us because they have arrived 10 days earlier. At least the new vessels will ease the pressure on the channel.”

Mr Musa said the three old ferries – Mv Nyayo, Mv Kilindini and Mv Harambee – will be refurbished as soon as the new vessels start operating in two weeks.

Offload

A schedule of how the old ferries would be refurbished at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) dry dock has already been drawn, Mr Musa said.

“The ferries arrived on schedule 10 days earlier and it will take four days to offload. It will take a further two weeks to assemble and carry out final training of our staff on how to handle them,” said KFS chairman Mr Joseph Kingi, adding that Mv Pwani and Mv Mvita would be deployed on the Mtongwe channel.

KFS is also planning to expand the landing ramps on both the island and mainland to accommodate three vessels at a ago instead of the current two, Mr Musa said.

Likoni residents were high in spirits as they milled around the area. Mr Daniel Kilonzo, who lives in south coast and uses the channel daily said: “The old vessels were risky because they kept stalling and I was even thinking of shifting to other areas. But now I have nothing to fear.”

The vessels – Mv Likoni and Mv Kwale – have a capacity of 1,500 passengers and 60 cars.

“At last my stress is over,” one of the coxswain was heard saying when he saw one of the vessels on the ship, echoing sentiments of several other Kenya Ferry Services employees and Mombasa residents, who were sceptical about the existence of the vessels.

Controversy

Since the tender for construction of the ferries was awarded to a German firm in 2004, it has been hit by controversy that saw four senior managers of KFS sacked after allegations of misappropriation of funds.

The initial cost was Sh900 million but later revised to Sh1.3 billion following the amendment of one of the vessels from 48 metres to 70 metres to make it equal in size to the second one.

The arrival date was changed from December 2008 to June 2009 and then pushed to December 2009. The arrival date was further extended to March 26 this year, which heightened the speculation.

Former Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere, who played a key role during the vessels’ construction, assured the public that the ferries were did exist. But his assurances were met with criticism.