Nairobi: Residents of Mfangano Island in Homa Bay have urged the government to speed up the procurement of a public ferry service to serve them. They noted that the eleventh parliament had allocated Sh300 million to support the construction of a ferry to ply between Mbita mainland and Mfangano Island in Suba North constituency.
According to Kenya News Agency, the residents petitioned the government through the Mfangano Development Forum (MDF) to come to their aid in easing the movement of passengers and goods to and from the island. MDF Chairperson, Daniel Rakoro, mentioned that the national government pledged to provide them with such a ferry, which would serve as an extension of the Homa Bay-Mbita-Mfangano road.
Speaking to the media Sunday, Rakoro said the government had agreed to provide a ferry that would serve the locals free of charge daily. He noted that while the government is establishing a ferry in Kisumu at a cost of Sh800 million, this was not the one they requested. The ferry would connect Kisumu, Lwanda K’Otieno, Kendu Bay, Homa Bay, Mbita, Mfangano, and Muhuru Bay in Migori county.
Rakoro emphasized that the ferry being assembled in Kisumu is not what the residents wanted. They are currently relying on a privately owned ferry and water bus, which are expensive and inconvenient. He urged the government to utilize the Sh300 million set aside for the ferry they requested, as the lack of a public ferry in Lake Victoria has caused many challenges, including high transport costs that impede businesses.
The islanders also expressed their desire for a vessel similar to the one operating between Mombasa and Likoni. Additionally, MDF members urged the government to complete the construction of a 54km Mfangano ring road to open up the island for business. With a population of more than 30,000 people, the islanders also requested the government to build a modern market to serve Mfangano and adjacent islands like Remba and Ringiti, which are significant fish producers in Homa Bay County.
