Time for Decisive Action at Likoni Ferry Crossing

By Andrew Mwangura

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

The Likoni Ferry Crossing stands as a critical lifeline for Kenya’s coastal region, connecting Mombasa Island to the South mainland and serving as a vital link to the Northern and Central Corridors extending into Tanzania.

Yet, this essential transportation node continues to be a daily source of frustration, inefficiency, and legitimate safety concerns for hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Despite serving over 300,000 passengers and 6,000 vehicles daily, the crossing remains plagued by chronic congestion, operational mismanagement, and a troubling history of marine incidents that have shaken public confidence.

The frequent traffic snarls, particularly during morning and evening rush hours, not only waste countless productive hours, but also pose serious risks to public safety when overcrowding occurs.

While the Kenya Ports Authority’s takeover of management in June 2021 brought promises of improvement, including the deployment of five ferries during peak hours and rescheduling routine maintenance to off-peak times, the fundamental problems persist.

These incremental measures, though well-intentioned, represent band-aids on a wound that requires comprehensive treatment.

What the Likoni Ferry crossing needs is not merely operational tinkering but transformative investment and management.

The current disruptions and congestion patterns suggest deeper systemic issues that demand thorough investigation and decisive action from KPA leadership.

The consequences of inaction extend far beyond inconvenience. This crossing serves as a critical economic artery, facilitating commerce, tourism, and daily livelihoods.

Each hour lost to congestion represents economic opportunity squandered for a region that can ill afford such inefficiency.

Safety concerns cannot be overlooked either. The memories of past tragedies at this crossing still haunt many families, and each overcrowded voyage carries unnecessary risk.

A modern transportation system must prioritize not just movement, but safe movement of its citizens.

The time has come for KPA to commission a comprehensive audit of the Likoni ferry operations, ideally appointing reputable globally recognized organizations such as Lloyd’s Register to conduct this critical assessment.

Such an audit should draw on international best practices and explore transformative solutions that could include expanded capacity, modernized vessels, improved crowd management systems, and potentially complementary infrastructure such as bridges or tunnels for the longer term.

The people of Mombasa and the countless visitors who rely on this crossing deserve better than perpetual promises and incremental improvements.

They deserve a transportation link that reflects Kenya’s aspirations as a regional economic hub and that prioritizes efficiency, reliability, and above all, safety.

KPA must act now, with transparency and determination, to finally address the chronic issues at the Likoni Ferry crossing. The coast’s economic future and the safety of hundreds of thousands of daily commuters depend on it.

The writer is a Maritime Affairs Analyst