Kenyans will be forced to pay Ksh300 million in form of tax for the delivery of a new ferry for the Likoni channel after Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) failed to account for the money allocated to facilitate its delivery.
KFS MD Bakari Gowa revealed this on Tuesday when he appeared before National Assembly's Transport and Housing Committee after questions were raised as to why Kenyans had to pay more money.
The body was allocated Ksh1.8 billion to facilitate for payment of delivery of two ferries; MV Jambo and MV Safari, which were to be assembled in Turkey.
“The MD is not serious. Every time he comes before this committee, he comes with piecemeal information, which is not helpful,” noted Isiolo Women Representative Rehema Jaldesa during the sitting.
The MD failed to account for the amount of money spent on the ferries so far, raising questions in the sitting chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing.
“I don’t have the figures with me but I can provide them within five minutes,” divulged Bakari.
“You are the MD of Kenya Ferry Services, how can you fail to have at your fingertips the figures paid so far and the balance?” asked Pkosing.
A contract signed on June 27, 2015, noted that two ferries procured by the government were to be delivered by November 2016. But only one, the MV Jambo, was delivered in August 2017.
A case emerged in 2018 after Kenya Ferry Services failed to account for Ksh1.8 billion that had been allocated for the delivery of the two Turkish ferries.
To assess the situation, four MPs will travel to Turkey to check on the status of the ferry according to Nation.
The ferry will have a capacity of more than 1,600 people and 64 vehicles. It will also have two rescue and emergency boats on board, among other features.
