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Mtongwe ferry services resume after 8 months
Passengers disembark from Mv Likoni at Mtongwe Channel in Mombasa on 22nd January 2019.
The Mtongwe ferry channel that was closed down eight months ago over safety concerns is set to be reopened to the public next week, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani told a parliamentary committee yesterday.
Mr Yatani told the National Assembly Committee on Transport, Public Works and Housing that the channel will be handed over to the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) this week, with the public expected to start using it next week.
“The contractor has been working on minor defects identified during project inspection. The facility will be handed over to the authority by the end of the first week of June. The public will be able to use the channel from the second week of June,” Mr Yatani said.
The CS was responding to a question asked on the floor of the House by Likoni MP Mishi Mboko, who wanted to know when the channel will be opened to the public and the measures taken by the government to address safety concerns.
Mr Yatani, through his representative, Mr Stanley Kamau, told the committee led by Mr David Pkosing that construction of ramps on either side of the channel is 90 per cent done, with the remaining works expected to be completed soon. He added that the public should be in a position to use it in the second week of this month.
Budgetary provisions
“Construction of the Mtongwe side is 90 per cent done while designs for the island side of the channel are complete. The authority has budgetary provisions for island ramp projects in the next financial year 2022/2023,” Mr Yatani said.
Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir said: “The people of Mtongwe have suffered ... They were told it would be opened in January. We want to know as leaders from the Coast region who was responsible for the delay.”
Mr Kamau attributed the delay to contractual issues which have since been sorted out.
“Yes there was a delay but now the government is giving commitment that it will be opened and this is going to be done as soon as next week,” Mr Kamau said.
Mr Pkosing told the ministry to urgently address the plight of the area residents who have had to bear extra costs.
