State should ensure safety of commuters using ferries

Despite the conflicting figures about the death toll from the accident at the Likoni Ferry Crossing in Mombasa, the tragedy raises weighty issues.

In the short term it calls for stringent enforcement of existing safety regulations or creation of new ones. According to the Kenya Ferry Services MD Hassan Musa there are regulations that direct the loading of commuters and vehicles that appear to have been flouted.

Although a truck lost its brakes on a steep gradient, it is also alleged that there were some commuters on the vehicle’s path.

It is also apparent that vehicles were being allowed to load with commuters at the same time. Traditionally commuters are supposed to board after the vehicles are on board and disembark from the vessel only after the trucks and cars have got off. This appears to have been flouted on Saturday and reports show that these kinds of violations are common. Although the Government has indicated the victims and their families would be compensated, there is no remedy in comparing lives that could be saved, with money.

There is need for civilians to change their attitude to ease enforcement of regulations. But the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) should improve its operations to ensure vehicles stop flowing after commuters start to board the ferry.

KFS should enforce the law as it is.  It should not expect to get results by pleading with civilians.

In the long term the Government should rethink the wisdom of depending on this ferry crossing.

On Saturday some lives were lost because victims could not be transported to hospitals on the island in time because the killer truck that rammed onto the ferry, blocking the easiest route out of the accident scene for almost an hour.