• The projects are intended to cost Sh200 billion and is envisioned to reduce congestion at the Port of Mombasa.
• CS revealed that the ministry has initiated budget realignments with a view to raising Sh1.1 billion for Kenya Ferry Services.
The government has unveiled a plan to abandon the use of ferries for commuting across Likoni and Mtongwe channels in Mombasa.
In the nearly Sh200 billion project, the government will construct a bridge from Mwache to Muteza at a cost of Sh24 billion as part of phase two of the Dongo Kundu bypass.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said that there are plans for constructing the Mombasa Gate Bridge with support from the Japanese government.
The government discussed the project two weeks ago, talks that would result in the creation of a cable-stayed bridge to decongest Mombasa.
The project is intended to cost Sh175 billion and ‘will involve interventions to decongest the coastal city’.
"The ultimate goal is to be in a situation where we will not have ferries across the channel," Macharia said.
“By doing that it is important to note that all travellers moving from the West of Mombasa city will not need to cross the channel but can drive to Mwache and then to Mutesa on their way to the South Coast,” the CS said.
It is not just about the bridge but has interventions towards the city decongestion plan, the CS said.
Macharia said the government will fast-track infrastructure to support the cable car project across the Likoni channel. The state intends to execute the project with private sector players.
“We are creating facilities to enable the Austrian government, which we are in talks with, put up the project to help the movement of people across the channel. Users will be charged Sh20,” he said.
Kamau said the projects have worked in places such as Hong Kong and China and will be more efficient and much safer.
“Since these projects will take nearly five years to complete, we have resolved to continue maintaining the ferries to make them more efficient,” Macharia said.
The CS revealed that the ministry has initiated budget realignments to raise Sh1.1 billion towards the improvement of ferry services.
He spoke on Tuesday before the Public Investments Committee chaired by Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir which is probing whether the government has responded to audit queries on the safety of ferries.
Macharia asked Kenyans to seize the fact that the country will not just be in the business of buying and maintaining ferries.
The plans came in the wake of concerns that the Kenya Ferry Services has continued to operate three vessels which were declared unfit by an international maritime agency.
The government also anticipates delivering the second of the two new ferries acquired from Turkey by January 2020, after which it will decommission the old ones.
KFS managing director Bakari Gower said the new ferry will be launched in November in Turkey as the state agency positions itself to locally assemble vessels.
“From the latest purchases, we have learned lessons of the need for local assembly. We have looked into two companies; African Marine and Southern Engineering,” the MD said.
The MPs lamented the sorry situation at the Kenya Ferry Services, which were given weight following the death of a woman and her daughter after their car slid from a ferry into the Indian Ocean.
MPs Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini), Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango), Zachary Thuku (Kinangop), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay), Mohamud Sheikh (Wajir South), and Mary Wamaua (Maragua) were present.
They sought answers to why action has not been taken against the management in the wake of the sacking of the Kenya Ferry board members.
Wamalwa asked: “The board has gone home. Why is the management still in the office?”
They also raised issues with KMA saying it has been issuing certificates of seaworthiness without due diligence on compliance.
Sheikh reprimanded KFS for ignoring international standards which must be followed to guarantee safety.
Wanga said the government should rather ground the ferries than issue false certificates of seaworthiness.
Abdisalan called for the employment of more ferry inspectors.
“We are sitting on a time bomb. Ferries work 24hrs yet are inspected by a 70-year old and the certificates signed on grounds of trust. We must end the extremely poor coordination between KFS and KMA,” the Wajir North MP, also PIC vice chair, said.
Macharia said the ministry is conducting investigations on the accident.
If it emerges that someone signed the certificates without due diligence, action would follow, the CS said.
“There are no excuses we can make but ensure such horrific incidents don’t recur. We will confirm if there was negligence. We disbanded the board which is the employer and the same will cascade to the staff,” the CS told MPs.
(edited by O. Owino)