A total of four staff members at Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) have been suspended after being held accountable for a series of ferry breakdowns at the Likoni Crossway.
Two senior staff were laid off on Wednesday in connection with the breakdown of MV Nyayo on Monday that caused widespread panic among passengers aboard at the time.
The ferry's fuel pipe is said to have burst midstream causing the commuters to worry. The pipe was later fixed and the ferry was placed back in service.
The coxswain and the operation supervisor were, however, not spared. Nation reports that management at KFS had allegedly warned workers of suspension in case of any breakdown of the vessels.
[caption caption="File image of residents crossing over on a ferry"]
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"We have clearly been warned that the supervisor, coxswain and the ramp controller would be sent packing if any problem occurs at the channel. Everyone is working under pressure," a source conveyed.
According to the said source, the senior officials were warned not to speak to media concerning the alleged warning.
It is further alleged that engineers at KFS wrote to the board requesting an urgent meeting where KFS managing director Bakari Gowa would be left out.
Meanwhile, two engineers were sent on a mandatory 10-day-leave as part of disciplinary action soon after the newest vessel, MV Jambo, broke down.
KFS management conveyed that the eight-month-old vessel would be repaired as soon as its spare parts arrive from abroad.
The Likoni channel has been overwhelmed with commuters following the closure of Mtongwe, where the decommissioned MV Jambo operates.
Services at the Mtongwe crossway were only reintroduced by President Uhuru Kenyatta in March 2017.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia recently reshuffled members of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to improve on service delivery at the government institution.
[caption caption="Transport CS James Macharia"]
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