Passengers stranded as ferry workers go on strike

By Patrick Beja

Ferry workers at the Likoni channel in Mombasa downed their tools over pay grievances. The strike was the first ever to paralyse operations and cut off communication between the South Coast and the island of Mombasa.

The 8.30am incident caught many passengers and motorists unawares, causing a heavy traffic jam.

Thousands of commuters were stranded, some with perishable merchandise. Commuters resorted to using rowing boats steered by fishermen to cross the half kilometre channel but port police and askaris from the Mombasa Municipal Council stopped them on safety grounds, as the boatmen did not have lifesaving equipment.

James Mugo, a student at the Mombasa Aviation College, said he used a boat to cross to Mombasa so as to prepare for his graduation due today. “I paid the fishermen Sh100 fare to cross over on their boat because I want to prepare for my graduation tomorrow,” Mugo said. 

A passenger, Emmanuel Kadenge expressed shock at the turn of events as he disembarked from the MV Nyayo following the 30-minute ordeal on the vessel. “This is dangerous. How can the ferry workers participate in a strike while transporting hundreds of passengers? The Government should intervene and save passengers from risks,” Kadenge said.

Among those caught up in the chaos were Likoni District Commissioner Lawrence Kinyua and Makadara MP Gideon Mbuvi.

The 300 Kenya Ferry Services workers (KFS) were protesting the stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) where the Dock Workers Union has been demanding a 62 per cent salary increase. KFS Managing Director Musa Hassan sent a short text message saying he was in a meeting. “I am busy in a meeting. Call back later,” Musa wrote from Nairobi. Public Relations Manager Elizabeth Wachira said the management was in consultative meetings.

On October 19, negotiations for a salary hike ran into a stalemate following the Government’s failure to honour a compensation Memorandum of Understanding with the ferry firm.