All Likoni residents crossing on foot will soon be required to use the floating bridge.
Three months since the launch of the Liwatoni Floating Bridge, the residents have continued to use the ferries at the Likoni crossing channel.
The 824-metre-long bridge was constructed for Sh1.9 billion last year to allow for Covid-19 spacing.
Most Likoni residents say the problem is lack of accessibility from the floating bridge but once usage increases, matatus will be available.
The Likoni ferry crossing channel serves more than 300,000 people and over 6,000 vehicles every day, whereas the floating bridge is serving an average of 20,000 people daily.
Mombasa county commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo and Governor Hassan Joho said they are working to ensure 99 per cent of all commuters from the Likoni area start using the bridge.
The Likoni crossing channel has been identified as one of the high-risk areas for Covid-19 transmission in Mombasa county.
Other high-risk areas are the public transport sector — PSVs, the the standard gauge railway passenger trains, boda bodas and tuk-tuks.
Political and religious gatherings have also been identified as super spreaders.
The Mombasa Emergency Response committee has agreed all ferry residents should start using the floating bridge to ease congestion at the Likoni crossing channel," Kitiyo said.
Joho, who co-chairs the committee with Kitiyo, said there shall be no preferential treatment at the Likoni crossing channel.
“We will not have sacred cows or people treated differently in Likoni. All pedestrians must use the Likoni floating bridge. The whole idea of coming up with that bridge was a result of responding to Covid-19," Joho said.
The governor said the Kenya Ferry Services and Kenya Ports Authority should ensure all ferry commuters use the floating bridge.
“Remember the bridge was procured on an emergency basis. It was done so fast because of Covid. We are now surprised that some people are giving excuses," Joho said.
He said the public transport sector will follow the people once they start using the floating bridge.
“People are complaining there are no matatus on that side of the bridge, but when people start using the bridge, the matatus will definitely go where there is business,” the governor said.
Kitiyo said six security officers are stationed on each side of the bridge.
“We have adequate security," he said.
The floating bridge operates between 5am and 8am and from 3pm to 7pm daily.
(Edited by V. Graham)
