Keep off ferry services, Mombasa County told

KENYA: Mombasa County government should stop attempts to manage ferry services, a constitutional body has said.

Transition Authority (TA) chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi said managing of ferries is not a devolved function even though the county government is working on a legislation seeking to be involved.

Friday, Mr Wamwangi told Mombasa County Government to stop interfering with the running of the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS). “No county has the power to run ferries. That mandate lies with the national government because it is not a devolved function.

“It is unconstitutional for counties to take up functions that are not devolved under the Constitution,” Wamwangi said.

He explained that ferry services fall under the Kenya National Highway Authority and the Mombasa County Government should respect the law.

He advised the county leadership to seek approval from TA if they want to run a ferry service. “If Mombasa County wants to run ferries it must seek the approval of the authority and this must be away from the Likoni Ferry which is part of the highways,” Wamwangi said.

However, the chairman of the County Assembly Transport and Infrastructure committee Amir Thoya maintained that ferries and harbours are devolved under the Constitution and that is why the county government is working on a legislation to take charge of ferry services.

“We have come up with the County Ferries and Harbours Bill, which will incorporate public participation before it is effected into a law. This will enable us move in and manage the ferry services,” Thoya said.

The county executive committee member for Transport Tawfig Balala also said ferries are a devolved function, adding that the interest of the county government is to improve services and not to make profit.