The High Court has allowed Kenya Ferry Services to proceed with the testing and launching of one of two new ferries bought at a cost of Ksh 2 billion from Turkey.
Mombasa High Court Judge Erick Ogola in his ruling found the ferry to be fit, proper and safe for transport at the busy Likoni crossing.
Nani Mungai of MMC Africa Law argued on behalf of the Kenya Ferry Services that public interest overrides the petitioner’s interests, and the judge’s ruling concurred with these submissions.
The sea channel is estimated to transport 330,000 people and 5,000 vehicles daily. Currently, the Likoni crossing has only seven ferries which barely meet the transport demand of residents traveling on either side for their daily activities. Three of the ferries were purchased in 1990 and are said to be dilapidated.
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The two new ferries will each have a seating capacity of 1,391 passengers. Special considerations have also been made for people living with disability, elderly passengers, expectant women and sick passengers all of whom will have their own areas. Other amenities on the ferries currently not available include washrooms.
To enhance safety, the vessels will also have two rescue and emergency boats on-board.
Kenyans crossing the channels are also facing hard times following an increase in population at the South Coast. The situation gets further compounded whenever the ferries develop mechanical problems which end up resulting in hours of massive traffic jams experienced at both sides of the crossing.
