Kenya Insights

Tag: Likoni ferry

  • KDF-Police Clash In Kilifi Explained

    KDF-Police Clash In Kilifi Explained

    An altercation between the military and police officers in Kilifi at the Likoni ferry crossing that blew to a full physical fight continues to draw mixed reactions.

    According to reports, problem started when the special forces had attempted to enter the ferry using the exit and the police officers made an attempt to stop them leading to the altercation.

    Efforts by the private security officers manning the vessel also failed as the KDF officers claimed they were in a hurry for a security operation.

    Although most dignitaries, military and police vehicles use the exit during peak time, the guard said the soldiers would obstruct vehicles.

    “Dignitaries and military vehicles always use the exit to enter the ferry. The guard refused to give way even after one of the soldiers alighted from the vehicle to talk to him,” said a witness.

    He said the other four soldiers alighted from the van after the guard called police officers to help him and members of the public started charging towards the scene and the soldiers.

    “Members of the public who witnessed the incident also started to approach the military vehicle. Some had started to collect stones. It could have turned ugly,” he said.

    Another witness who’s a trader claimed that he heard the soldiers complaining about the Police Officers and the security guards inciting the public against them. A number of civilians watching the dram from a distance could be seen filming the scuffle amidst murmurs.

    A report filed at the Ferry Police Station identified the soldiers as naval officers from the Kenya Navy who were on a military tactical Land Cruiser that was crossing from the island to Likoni.

    “The Land Cruiser approached from town and blocked the exit lane and naval officers jumped out of the vehicle and started assaulting the security guard who sought assistance from the police who were providing security at the lock-up,” states the police report.

    It states that the police, who tried to intervene, were also assaulted by the soldiers. The private security guard assaulted was Wilson Obege of Istmax Guard.

    In the video clip that has since gone viral, a soldier is seen slapping a security guard before he runs to a police officer who was approaching a charged crowd, chanting against the soldiers.

    The witness said the other four soldiers scared away members of the public who were charging towards their colleague.

    In a brief statement, KDF said the military police and other investigating agencies were handling the matter, adding that the incident was “highly regrettable”.

    “As KDF personnel, we are beholden to the core value of professionalism,” stated the statement from KDF.

    KDF has had a tighter security routine at the Likoni crossing channel since 2013 when cases of terrorism increased at the Coast.

    In 2019, during Heroes Day at Mama Ngina Drive, the naval forces had a similar confrontation with the police and the residents.

    The Saturday incident at the Likoni channel was the second one after police in Kilifi also reported that they had arrested a soldier for assaulting a police officer from Kambe Ribe Police Station.

    A report from Kambe Police Station indicates that the soldier from 6 Brigade Garissa obstructed the police from arresting his cousin wanted for an assault case.

  • UPDATE: Body Of A Man Retrieved After A Saloon Car Plunged Into The Ocean At Likoni Ferry Channel

    UPDATE: Body Of A Man Retrieved After A Saloon Car Plunged Into The Ocean At Likoni Ferry Channel

    SALOON CAR with unknown number of occupants plunges into the ocean at the Likoni Channel from the ramp; KFS officials say search underway.

    UPDATE:

    KENYA NAVY divers retrieve body of the 40-year-old John Mutinda from the ocean at the Likoni Channel believed to be one of the victims of  a vehicle that plunged into the water earlier today.

    KFS Officials said the Saloon car was on the mainland side of the channel when the driver drove into the sea from the ramp at around 4.20 am Saturday.

    Kenya Ferry Service (KFS) said in a statement that the driver(John Mutinda) of the vehicle drove at high speed after purchasing a ticket and plunged into the water.

    The incident comes barely three months after the vehicle which Mariam Kighenda and her four-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu were in, slid off from the MV Harambee ferry. It took 13 days to locate the car and retrieve the bodies. The recovery involved a team from South Africa.

  • Sonko Offers Help To The Family Of Mariam And Daughter Amanda

    Sonko Offers Help To The Family Of Mariam And Daughter Amanda

    Yesterday, Miko Mbuvi Sonko, the Nairobi Governor said that he will transport the bodies of Likoni tragedy victims from Mombasa to Makueni via Road today.

    Mike Sonko announced this through his communications director Jacob Elkanah, who said the plans are already underway and the hearse was already set at Jocham Hospital  Mortuary in Mombasa.

    “We have agreed with those in charge of the burial arrangements to transport the bodies and play any other possible role in the burial arrangements,” Jacob said also noting that Sonko plans to attend the burial.

    Sonko Rescue Team Free Ambulance at Jocham mortuary in Mombasa

    Elkanah further announced that Mike Sonko had charitably donated to the funeral arrangements. This comes after Kenya Ferry Service had sent a sh200K cheque to the family of the late Mariam and Amanda.

    John Wambua, husband to Mariam Kighenda and her 4-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu. Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Thursday, October 17 offered to transport the bodies of his wife and child from Mombasa to Makueni.
    John Wambua, husband to (now the late) Mariam Kighenda and father to 4-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu.

    Mariam’s husband, John Wambua, appreciated Sonko’s support as he grieved his family.

     “Sonko has not only helped me but the whole society. We are very appreciative and only God will reward him,” Wambua said.

    Makueni County Governor Kivutha Kibwana on October 12 also offered his personal contribution, in the process disclosing that the bodies will be moved to the county for burial.

    The bodies of Kighenda and Mutheu were retrieved from the ocean bed last Friday, October 11, after staying submerged in the Indian Ocean for 13 days.

    Kighenda and her daughter Amanda died after their vehicle, a Toyota Isis, slid off MV Harambee on the Likoni Ferry channel on September 29 and plunged 58 meters into the ocean bed.

    Mariam’s family said Wednesday that after burying their loved ones, they will sue the Kenya Ferry Services Limited for negligence.

    “We are, currently, continuing with burial plans. Once we have laid our loved ones to rest, we will institute legal action against the Kenya Ferry Services Limited,” Mbaati said.

    Government’s chief pathologist, Dr. Johansen Oduor, said that the two died of asphyxia – a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen.

    “I can confirm that Kighenda and Mutheu died as a result of lack of oxygen in their bodies. None of them suffered any physical injury. We’ll now hand over the report to police so that they can continue with their investigations,” Dr Oduor on said Wednesday after a postmortem exercise at Jocham Hospital in Mombasa.

    Charles Onyango, Likoni Lead detective said that they have commenced investigations into the death of the two.

    “We are yet to question Kenya Ferry Services managing director, Bakari Gowa, in regard to the mother-and-daughter’s deaths. However, we have lined him up for interrogation,” said Onyango.

    In what is perceived as a quick response to the mess and a fix to say so, President Uhuru Kenyatta in a Wednesday, October 16, Gazette Notice Number 9833 stated that Kenya Ferry Services Limited chairperson Dan Mwazo had been dismissed with immediate effect.

    Naima Amir, Philip Ndolo, Rosina Mruttu and Daula Omar were also axed from non-executive board members of the Kenya Ferry Services Limited.

     

  • Reactions Of Kenyans On Twitter After Bodies And Car Of The Likoni Ferry Tragedy Retrieved

    Reactions Of Kenyans On Twitter After Bodies And Car Of The Likoni Ferry Tragedy Retrieved

    Mixed reactions from Kenyans on Twitter popularly branded as KOT after the Kenya Navy led 2 weeks operation of retrieving the plunged vehicle was a success at last even though lives were lost.

    Here are randomly sampled tweets on different sampled hashtags and trending topics on the Kenyan trends.

    https://twitter.com/geraldngaopk/status/1182659464400457731?s=19

    https://twitter.com/LincolnsKE/status/1182655300534521856?s=19

    https://twitter.com/arapsam/status/1182668467784376320?s=19

     

     

     

  • Unsurpassed Divers Start Mission To Retrieve The Car That Plunged In Ocean From Likoni Ferry

    Unsurpassed Divers Start Mission To Retrieve The Car That Plunged In Ocean From Likoni Ferry

    After efforts of searching and locating the actual place of the plunged car, Government Spokesman Cyrus Oguna has said a special team of divers are this morning, Thursday, October 10 set to get to the bottom of the Indian Ocean in efforts to retrieve the car that slid off MV Harambee on Sunday, September 29, and accident that saw Mariam Kighenda, 35, and her four-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu lose their lives abruptly.

    According to Kenya Navy divers, the number plate of the vehicle in the #LikoniFerryAccident has been verified as KCB 289C, Oguna the government spokesman confirmed yesterday. This was after the multi-agency team conducting the recovery operation verified that the object Kenya Navy divers located yesterday was the vehicle they were searching for the past 11 days in an operation that involved different States.  

    Kenya insights had reported earlier that elite divers from the Navy located the vehicle at a depth of 58 meters on the floor of the Indian Ocean at the Likoni Channel.

    “We have ascertained that the number plate of the car in the water is KCB 289C; which is similar to the one in question. We have also checked on CCTV footage when the car was on the ferry and confirmed the number plates,” said the government spokesman.

    Government’s spokesperson said, is set to commence at 9 am and divers who will head down at the ocean floor will attach an inflatable balloon on the car to enable it to gain buoyancy. Oguna was, however, not specific on the duration of time the special team of divers will take to bring the vehicle afloat.

    “For now we cannot specify on the time that it will take to retrieve the car from the ocean but we will eventually get it out. After getting hold of the vehicle we will then establish whether or not it contains the bodies of the two occupants. We are very hopeful that the bodies are there,” he added.

     

  • Likoni Ferry Tragedy Updates: Chinese ROVs Find 6 More Cars At The Ocean bed

    Likoni Ferry Tragedy Updates: Chinese ROVs Find 6 More Cars At The Ocean bed

    Latest updates from one of the most and recent tragic ocean accidents in Kenya’s coastline have indicated that the operations have found 6 more objects, possible cars, at the bottom of the Ocean.

    The efforts to recorver the submurged car that claimed two lives with the bodies of the lost souls yet to be retrieved, had recieved a boost after Chinese divers joined the operations.

    https://twitter.com/BincoAfrica/status/1178713107012739072?s=19

    A sourced Picture of A portable ROV.

    “Chinese Remotely Operated Vehicles, ROVs, are submersible, robotic systems, used to observe the depths of large bodies of water by operators from shore, or by divers in the water, have spotted 6 more cars at the Sea Bed” Reads a tweet from KenyanTraffic.

    The tweet updates have been supported by government official Spokesperson Col. Rtd Cyrus Oguna while addresing the press in the afternoon.

    Video courtesy of NMG/Youtube.

    https://youtu.be/HT6Hgrkv1Tc

    Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho has also spoken after a long mute since the accident occured in the waters at his Mombasa led County. Here is what the governor has said a few minutes ago via his official verified twitter account.