Kenya Senate: Demands Second Mfangano Ferry for Island Transport

• The Kenyan Senate has urged the government to procure a second public ferry for Lake Victoria to address a transport crisis affecting over 30,000 Mfangano Island residents.
• A petition highlighted that the suspension of a private ferry in December 2021 forced residents to rely on expensive, unsafe private boats.
• The Senate committee found significant delays in the government's ferry procurement program, with a Sh300 million project from 2022/2023 now projected for December 2026 commissioning.
• The project's cost escalated from an initial Sh300 million to Sh766 million (excluding VAT) after the Kenya Ports Authority took over its implementation.
• The Senate recommended deploying the new ferry to the Mbita-Mfangano route within six months, and the National Treasury has allocated funds for pier completion and rehabilitation in the 2026/2027 financial year.

The committee explicitly noted that the project's cost increased substantially after KPA assumed responsibility for its implementation, prompting calls for enhanced accountability and effective project management.

The Kenyan Senate has recently intervened in a long-standing transport crisis affecting over 30,000 residents of Mfangano Island and surrounding communities in Lake Victoria. The Senate's Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing has urged the government to acquire a second public ferry to alleviate severe disruptions that have hampered access to essential services for these islanders. This parliamentary action stems from a petition filed on October 18, 2022, by Daniel Rakoro and other Mfangano residents, which detailed the critical lack of dependable public transport connecting Mfangano, Takawiri, Remba, Atego, Risi, and Ringiti islands to each other and to the mainland.

The petitioners highlighted that the suspension of the sole private ferry service in December 2021 left residents with no viable public transport option. Consequently, islanders have been forced to rely on private boats, which are both expensive and unsafe, significantly increasing the cost of living and doing business while exposing passengers to considerable safety risks. The committee's subsequent investigation confirmed that this Mfangano Island transport crisis had severely impacted access to vital services such as healthcare, education, and markets, and had also slowed down the implementation of government development projects across the islands. Migori Senator Eddy Oketch, who was the chairperson of the committee until September 2026, emphasized the ferry's role as the "sole and critical link" for communities between Mbita, Mfangano, and the mainland, underscoring the profound impact of unreliable service.

During its inquiry, which gathered input from the petitioners, the National Treasury, the Ministry of Roads and Transport, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), and the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), the Senate committee identified significant issues within the government's Kenya ferry procurement delays program. A project initiated with a Sh300 million budgetary allocation in the 2022/2023 financial year for a new vessel has faced substantial delays, with its commissioning now anticipated in December 2026. This delay is a key factor contributing to the ongoing transport challenges.

Further scrutiny by the committee revealed a concerning escalation in the project's cost following its takeover by the Kenya Ports Authority. The initial allocation of Sh300 million ballooned to an estimated Sh1 billion, before the contract was ultimately signed for Sh766 million, exclusive of VAT. The committee explicitly noted that the project's cost increased substantially after KPA assumed responsibility for its implementation, prompting calls for enhanced accountability and effective project management. Moreover, a separate allocation of Sh300 million in the 2023/2024 financial year, intended for a second ferry for the route, was never utilized due to budgetary constraints, exacerbating the connectivity issues.

To address the multifaceted crisis, the Senate committee put forth several key recommendations. It urged the Ministry of Roads and Transport, in collaboration with KPA and KMA, to operationalize the new ferry currently under construction at Kisumu Shipyard and deploy it to enhance Mbita-Mfangano route connectivity within six months of the report's tabling. However, the committee also cautioned that this single vessel might not fully resolve the crisis, as it is designed to serve multiple routes across Lake Victoria rather than being exclusively dedicated to the Mbita-Mfangano corridor. This multi-route deployment, the committee warned, could compromise the reliability of services for island residents who depend on water transport daily.

Looking ahead, the committee recommended that the National Treasury ring-fence specific funds within the 2026/2027 financial year budget. The National Treasury has since allocated KSh 1.0 billion for the development of Public Ferry Landing Ramps in Lake Victoria, including Mbita and Sena, and additional funding for the rehabilitation of Mbita and Sena piers. These infrastructure improvements are deemed crucial for supporting reliable ferry operations and ensuring long-term maritime transport for the affected island communities. The Kenya Senate Mfangano second ferry initiative seeks to not only introduce new vessels but also to fortify the essential infrastructure required for sustainable maritime transport.

Lawyers advising clients on public procurement or infrastructure projects in Kenya should note the Senate's scrutiny of project delays and cost overruns, particularly concerning the Kenya Ports Authority's role. This highlights increased governmental oversight and potential for stricter accountability in future public sector contracts and project management.

Source: Reporting based on original coverage.