• Mombasa residents, as well as visitors, have been using five old ferries MV Mvita, acquired in 1969; MV Pwani, bought in 1974; and MV Nyayo, MV Harambee and MV Kilindini, acquired second-hand in 1990.
• MV Mvita and MV Pwani were decommissioned in 2012 and were replaced by MV Kwale and MV Likoni which were commissioned in 2014.
Image: FILE
On December 7, 2016, MV Harambee resumed operations after repairs and enhancements worth Sh143 million at the Africa Marine yard.
The vessel which has been in operations for 29 years in Kenya had been decommissioned in 2015 due to its unseaworthy nature but underwent major overhaul.
Less than three years after resuming operations, the ferry in the news this time having caused the death of a mother and her daughter.
Just three months ago, a canter ferrying Taifa Unga plunges into the Indian Ocean while disembarking MV Harambee at the mainland side ramp of Likoni ferry channel.
The Sunday night incident has put the Kenya Ferry Services on the spot following the death of Mariam Kighenda, 35, and her daughter Amanda Mutheu, 4.
The two died after the vehicle they were travelling in veered off the rear ramp aboard the MV Harambee. The ramp has been faulty and was not lifting up as should be the case while in motion.
More than 300,000 people and 6,000 vehicles cross the Likoni ferry channel every day but a look at history paints a picture of a death-trap.
The Likoni ferry, which started operations in 1937, serves Mombasa from the Island to the mainland side of Likoni on the Kilindini Harbour.
Mombasa residents, as well as visitors, have been using five old ferries MV Mvita, acquired in 1969; MV Pwani, bought in 1974; and MV Nyayo, MV Harambee and MV Kilindini, acquired second-hand in 1990.
MV Mvita and MV Pwani were decommissioned in 2012 and were replaced by MV Kwale and MV Likoni which were commissioned in 2014.
In 2017, Kenya acquired even a bigger one - MV Jambo - which had broken down even before marking its first birthday.
This kind of breakdown is not uncommon with the ferries at the Likoni Channel raising questions of competence on the part of the Kenya Ferry Services.
Image: FILE
KENYA FERRY SERVICES
Kenya Ferry Services Limited came into being in November 1989 after the Government took over the operation of the ferry services from the defunct Kenya Bus Services Ltd, which had indicated an unwillingness to continue with operations.
The Government then mandated Kenya Ports Authority to run the services on its behalf. Kenya Ports Authority, in turn, changed one of its subsidiary companies (Bunty Estates Ltd) into Kenya Ferry Services Ltd and commenced operations on November 1, 1989.
In 1998, the Government through National Assembly Sessional Paper No. 3 formalized the ownership of the Company by transforming the contributions of both the Government and Kenya Ports Authority into equity.
Share capital increased from the initial Sh2 million to Sh500 million. Today the Company is 80 per cent owned by the Government of Kenya and 20 per cent by Kenya Ports Authority.
Long before Sunday's tragedy, there have been queries over the safety of the ferries in use.
On October 26, 2015, eleven people were seriously injured in a stampede at the Likoni channel as hundreds of commuters scrambled to access the ferries.
At the time of the incidence, only two ferries were operating; MV Likoni and MV Nyayo instead of four that use the Likoni channel.
MV Harambee was being repaired after developing mechanical problems while MV Kwale had stalled on the island ramp during low tide.
On May 9, 2016, the biggest and oldest ferry MV Nyayo with commuters onboard was pushed by heavy tides off the Likoni channel towards the deep sea.
The ferry developed mechanical problems at 7am that morning.
Efforts by the Kenya Ports Authority tower boat to push it to the Island ramps were unsuccessful, but after reinforcement, the ferry was towed to the Island.
In September 2016, hundreds of passengers were stranded at Likoni channel after MV Nyayo got stuck on a ramp on the Mombasa mainland.
During that time, MV Kwale and MV Likoni were the only ferries operating.
On December 15, 2016, GSU officers had to be called in to calm a crowd of commuters at the Likoni Channel following the breakdown of three ferries.
For about five hours, only MV Likoni was operating. The other three ferries – MV Kwale, MV Harambee and MV Nyayo – developed mechanical problems and had to be withdrawn.
On March 19 last year, Mv Nyayo was withdrawn from service after a technical hitch just a week after MV Jambo was withdrawn from the channel under similar circumstances.
On September last year, there is heavy traffic at the Likoni crossing channel after three ferries including Mv Jambo which developed engine problems broke down.
Mv Jambo which has a passenger capacity of 1,500 was the first to break down and was towed for repairs leaving three others in operation.
An hour later two others Mv Nyayo and MV Harambee broke down but remained at the ramp.
Thousands of commuters and motorists at the busy Likoni channel are were stranded as only three ferries, MV Harambee, MV Kwale and MV Likoni try were in operation.
Kenya Ferry Services have been blamed for poor management and failure to deliver good services.
In all these cases, they have tried to show Kenyans that they are doing as much as they can to deliver good services.
The Sunday tragedy is not the first ferry incident to claim lives with the biggest loss having been experienced in 1994.
MTONGWE FERRY
On April 29, 1994, one of the deadliest marine accidents in Kenya struck at Mtongwe channel.
MV Mtongwe ferry, bound for the mainland, capsized just 40 meters from the port, leaving 272 of the 400 people on board dead.
Investigations revealed that the vessel carried weights above the limit, probably 10 times its capacity.
As of 2005, Kenya Ferry Services had compensated 81 families with a total of Sh36.9 million.
MV Nyayo has a capacity of 60 vehicles and 1200 passengers and as for MV Harambee and MV Kilindini have a capacity of 40 vehicles and 1440 passengers.
Safety measures to be observed by ferry operators include the provision of life jackets and floaters.
Divers are also a requirement so that they can help passengers if an accident was to occur.
ECONOMIC LOSS
But it is not only the safety of Kenyans that worry most people at the Coast but the economic net loss over constant unreliable ferry services.
The most affected area is the Likoni side with many working in Mombasa shifting their residency to the Island town.
This migration has continued to hurt businesses on the Likoni side.
In addition, tourism activities on the Likoni side have also been suffering as Kenya ferry services mostly get negative reviews on tourist review sites.
Image: FILE