Kenya Ferry Services Archives

VIDEO: KU bus almost sinks into Indian Ocean after sliding off the ferry

by Mustafa Juma November 12, 2019

Just a month after South African divers in conjunction with the Kenyan Navy retrieved the bodies of Amanda Mutheu and her mother Mariam Kigenda, who drowned in their car after it slid off the ferry, another tragedy similar to that almost occurred on Monday.

A Kenyatta University bus almost sank into Indian Ocean after it slid off the ferry ramp into the shallow waters.

According to eye witnesses, passengers and the driver were still in the bus, despite there being a rule that forbids passengers from remaining inside their vehicles while crossing the ferry.

No casualties were reported.

The Kenya Ferry Service is yet to issue a statement.

Watch the video below:

Another near tragedy at Likoni Ferry. Kenyatta University bus slides off ferry ramp. In Kenya we never learn pic.twitter.com/8ChYjnBTTo
— Francis Muli (@FmuliKE) November 11, 2019

November 12, 2019 0 comment

Senate report on Likoni Tragedy exposes Kenya Ferry badly

by Mustafa Juma October 29, 2019

written by Mustafa Juma

Senators have raised the alarm about the state of the five vessels operated by the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS), terming them potential deathtraps.

According to a report tabled in the Senate, MV Kwale, MV Nyayo, MV Kilindini, MV Harambee and MV Likoni, all plying the Likoni channel, are dysfunctional and unseaworthy.

In particular, the report reveals that MV Harambee does not have functional ramps, which is a contravention of International Safety Management (ISM) regulations, that requires all vessels to dry-dock after 8,500 hours of operations.

Further, the report accuses KFS of operating three decommissioned ferries, including MV Harambee, MV Nyayo and MV Kilindini.

The three vessels are some of Kenya’s oldest ferries, having been bought as used vessels in 1990.

The report tabled by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior on Wednesday condemns the five vessels, saying they pose danger to the more than 300,000 passengers and over 6,000 motorists plying the Likoni channel every day.

“I have it on record that the ramps commonly referred to as prows are not functioning and in the case of MV Kilindini, the prows are rising at less than 45 degrees,” he said on the floor of the House on Wednesday.

“Had the ramp of MV Harambee been functioning properly, the untimely death of Mariam Kighenda and her daughter Amanda Mutheu on 29th September 29, 2019, could have been avoided.”

Mariam Kighenda, 35, and her daughter Amanda, 4, died when their vehicle slid from MV Harambee into the Indian Ocean as the ferry was crossing the channel.

Investigations are underway and several employees of KFS who were in charge of the vessel on the day the tragedy happened have already been interrogated.

“I received information that this incident was as a result of the sorry state of our five ferries operating on the Likoni channel; that is MV Kwale, MV Nyayo, MV Kilindini, MV Harambee and MV Likoni,” the senator concludes.

According to the Makueni senator, MV Harambee was refurbished in what is commonly referred to in maritime terms as a dry dock at a cost of Kshs157million in the Financial Year 2016/ 2017.

“I strongly suspect that the said amount of Kshs157million was misappropriated. This matter requires urgent investigations,” he said.

The senator also called for a probe into the management of African Marine Limited which KFS has single-sourced for the servicing of its vessels.

October 29, 2019 0 comment

Family of Mariam Kighenda sues Kenya Ferry Services

by Mustafa Juma October 18, 2019

written by Mustafa Juma

The family of Likoni Ferry tragedy victims Mariam Kighenda and her 4-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu has moved to court to sue Kenya Ferry Services(KFS) over negligence.

The family of Mariam Kighenda moves to Court to sue the Kenya Ferry Services for negligence over her death and that of her daughter Amanda.
— Derrick Ohato (@DerrickOhato) October 18, 2019

This had already been revealed by the family’s spokesperson, Luka Mbati, following the release of post-mortem results on Wednesday.

The family expressed satisfaction with the results, saying burial arrangements would kick off immediately.

Chief Government pathologist Johansen Oduor conducted the autopsy on Wednesday and found that Kighenda and her daughter died out of suffocation.

The post-mortem examination took one-and-half hours, said Dr Oduor. It was conducted at Jocham Hospital mortuary in Mombasa.

Burial arrangements are currently ongoing in Makueni county where Kighenda’s husband, John Wambua, hails from.

The remains are being transported to Makueni today (Friday) and later be buried tomorrow (tomorrow).

Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has offered to transport the bodies from Mombasa to Makueni through his Sonko Rescue Team.

Meanwhile, President Uhuru Kenyatta has sacked all members of the Kenya Ferry Services board following the deaths of Mariam and her daughter Amanda at the Likoni Channel.

October 18, 2019 0 comment