- The ferries were manned by police, county and Coast Guard.
- Long queues were experienced before 9am, but later cleared.
The General Service Unit has been withdrawn from the Likoni ferry crossing channel, days after officers meted violence on residents.
The Star confirmed that the channel was only being manned by the Kenya Police Service, Mombasa county officials and the Coast Guard, even as long queues were experienced during peak hours.
Mombasa county commander Augustine Nthumbi said the GSU officers were there but few in number since residents had begun adapting to the crossing routines.
“The residents are not as hostile as they were the first few days. They are adapting. So we don’t have most of them here,” he told the Star.
Peaceful queues that snaked into residential areas, stretching up to 1.5km away, were witnessed as the new schedule at the Likoni ferry crossing was implemented on the first working day.
The new schedule, which gives pedestrians priority, was announced on Saturday by Governor Hassan Joho and Coast regional coordinator John Elungata.
The schedule gives pedestrians exclusive use of the four ferries at the channel from 5am to 11am.
No vehicles are allowed on the ferries during that time.
From 11am to 2pm, vehicles are allowed to cross alongside motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians.
From 2pm to 7pm, no more vehicles are allowed as pedestrians are once again given exclusive use of the four ferries.
On Monday, there were no vehicles at the ramps where toll stations are located. Most of the pedestrians, however, chose not to wash their hands at the 100 taps that were installed.
This was because the pedestrians were rushing to their workplaces.
“If you wash your hands now, you will have to get out of the line. If you get out of the line, you may be told to go to the back of the line which is kilometres away. I don’t want that,” said Mwadzuya Mwasengo, a resident of Shika Adabu.
The queues stretched up to Kiwerera estate where Mt Sinai Academy is located, with ferry users having to wait for up to three hours before crossing.
Two lines of men and women were manned by Administration and regular police officers.
Coast Guard personnel were in the ferries directing human traffic. Social distancing was achieved in the ferries only.
Officers manning the queues directed commuters to cover their mouth with a mask or a piece of cloth before being allowed to board the vessel.
At about 9am, there were no queues, forcing the ferries to stay for some time waiting for passengers to board unlike in the morning.
Kenya Ferry Service boss Bakari Gowa said KFS managed to ensure all users were ferried across in good time.
Four ferries, MV Jambo, MV Kilindini, MV Kwale and MV Likoni are operating at the Likoni crossing channel.
Edited by Henry Makori