The transport sector in Mombasa County could be set for radical changes if Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir’s latest sentiments are anything to go by.
Governor Abdulswamad, through a statement on Sunday, October 6, called on the cessation of vehicular traffic on ferries in a bid to ensure the safety of passengers using the ferry.
“The County Government of Mombasa is deeply concerned about the safety of all ferry users. As a measure to prevent future accidents, we will be proposing to the National Government a cessation of vehicular traffic on the ferry. This step aims to enhance safety for both pedestrians and motorists using the ferry,” the governor said in a statement.
The governor’s proposal came after he paid a visit to some of the victims of the harrowing incident on Sunday which saw a Nairobi-bound bus lose control and plunge into the Indian Ocean. The victims were rushed to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital to receive treatment.
An image of the bus in Likoni. PHOTO/Maseke Peter.
“I urge all residents and travellers to remain cautious during this period, as emergency teams wind up their operations at the scene,” Governor Abdulswamad added.
What happened: The governor’s concerns could have been prompted by two ferry incidents in one weekend, all involving motor vehicles.
A day before the bus incident which left nine injured, a truck also plunged into the Indian Ocean, with reports suggesting the driver of the truck lost control while trying to avoid running over passengers at the Likoni Ferry crossing channel. While there were no casualties, that incident led to major delays at the channel.
It remains to be seen how the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) will cope if the governor’s proposal to cease vehicular traffic on the ferry materialises.
Transporting cars is one of the biggest revenue generators for KFS, which experienced a 46.42 per cent revenue growth in 2023. On average, 7000 cars use the channel daily, with the price to ferry one vehicle ranging between KSh 120 to KSh 7500, depending on the size.
One of the reasons for the surge in traffic at the Likoni Ferry channel was because of the closure of the Mtongwe Ferry crossing channel in 2019 to allow for the installation of pontoons, pillars, and gangways on both sides of the channel in an initiative that was estimated to cost KSh 28 million.
Closure of the channel meant over 300,000 people who used the channel had to find alternative means, including the Likoni Ferry channel. Normal services were expected to resume in June 2022, but that is yet to happen.
What next for motor vehicles? If vehicles are banned from using the ferry, they will have to resort to the upcoming Dongo Kundu bypass, which is on the verge of completion.
After five years of waiting, the bypass was officially opened in August 2024, five months after its expected launch in March. Only one section of the road, however, is accessible to the public as the road is 96% complete.
An image of the Dongo Kundu bypass. PHOTO/Kenya Geographic.
