Likoni Ferry is a Tragedy in Waiting

Travellers who use Likoni Ferry were stranded the better part of Monday as the ferry stalled before reaching the shore.

There was panic among more than two thousand passengers as the ferry refused to move due to mechanical reasons.

Some passengers dived into the ocean and swam across while the much frightened ones eagerly waited and hoped for the help from the ferry managers.

Most of those who were on board were students and people who were on their way to work on Monday.

The continuous breakdown of the ferry at Likoni is a clear signal of a crisis in waiting. The government has ignored this signal and when it will happen, thousands will die and people and maybe that is when the authorities will wake up from the slumber.

This is not the first time the ferry is malfunctioning while people are on board. The three operational ferries at the coast are old and past their operating age.

Read: Likoni Ferry Crisis Spills Into the New Year

More than 200 thousand people use the services of the ferry daily giving its importance to both social and economic welfare of the coast and the country in general.

Vehicles too use the ferry but after paying a fee of between 500 shillings to 150 shillings depending on the size of the vehicle. It is estimated that millions are collected every day but due to massive corruption, the money always goes down the throats of corrupt agents of death.

Let us try to imagine, if a tragedy will one day occur, how many people are likely to die? The ferry on every trip is often having at least 3000 people on board. If the ferry goes down with the people,  90 percent of them are likely to die. Those are more than 2000 people. That will be a big number, right?

The writings are on the wall. A crisis is coming and is coming from Likoni. What kind of warning does the government want so that it can act? We have a clear record of taking action after a crisis and never acting to prevent one. Are we also planning to do the same after the ferry goes down with people?

There is massive corruption at the ferry. Who has been brought to book to account for the money? Nobody so far. A few officials have shown the door but is that punishment enough for stealing and misusing millions belonging to Kenyans? Is going to be a tradition that the only punishment one gets after stealing from Kenyans is either a transfer to another department or his or her job being terminated?

Drums of death are beating. Let us stop dancing to the tune and act. The time is now.

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Article by Juma Fred.