MOMBASA COMMUTERS BRACE FOR FRESH FERRY DELAYS
(Posted 11th September 2015)
The announcement yesterday by the Kenya Ferry Services that one of the big four ferries will be withdrawn for at least a month for maintenance – in the past were such timeframes often substantially overdrawn – has sent shivers down the spines of regular commuters into and off the island of Mombasa as well as stirred fresh sentiments from the coast based tourism fraternity.
MV Kilindini, named after the port itself, has gone for repairs and maintenance leaving some 300.000 pedestrian and as many as 5.000 vehicles now struggling to get across the channel, crammed into the remaining three larger ferries in use.
‘If only one of those develops a mechanical problem, and there is enough precedent set in the past that this can happen, ferry crossings can take you as much as half a day including waiting periods. This company is always behind the times, never ahead. They talk of new ferries but those should be in the water by now crossing the channel. Tourism is starting over and there is nothing worse for visitors but stuck at the ferry when they arrive or when they depart. Either it takes hours to get to Diani or they are worried out of their minds they might miss their flights. Pathetic!’ ranted a regular contributor from the coast when passing the news.
Work is slowly taking shape to build a major highway bypass from the Nairobi to Mombasa highway and the international airport to the coast south of Mombasa, avoiding the drive through the city and then cross the channel. This has been a constant source of complaints, vis a vis delays but also vis a vis the state of the roads and the litter tourist visitors see from their transfer busses.
Two new ferries are expected in some 14 months’ time but again, delivery delays have in the past overshadowed such promises. Hence, if crossing the Likoni channel over the next couple of weeks brace yourself for delays and bring enough water and snacks to sit it out in case a major delay strikes.
