The Government may be forced to approach the donor community to fund the construction of an emergency pedestrian crossing Channel at Likoni.
The move follows the chaos witnessed in the Likoni ferry services on Friday and the classification of Mombasa and Kwale as Corona 19 crisis centers.
A total of 300,000 plus pedestrians cross the Channel daily. The huge numbers have negated the safe distance rule of nearly two meters, set in place by Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe.
The Japan International Cooperation(JICA) is currently constructing a road across the Indian Ocean at Mtenza in Kwale, and will be an ideal option should the Government decide to construct a footbridge across the Likoni Channel.
Owing to the availability of cheap houses in Likoni, many workers in Mombasa prefer to live there.
With Mombasa hardest hit by Corona Virus, the Government has no option than to explore alternative ways of moving the people across the channel.
Uzalendo news has established that Japan, China, Netherlands, and Spain have the technology to assemble a bridge within 60 days, but beaurocratic red tape can delay the works.
With Europe hard hit by Corona, China and Japan remain the only viable alternatives.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, unhappy about the crossing chaos and beating of civilians last Friday is said to have ordered technocrats in his office to provide a solution within 14 days.
The emergency works is akin to the 1999 Elnino Emergency infrastructure works done by the Office of the President through which roads destroyed by the 1997 Elnino rains was fixed by the Government.
The Japanese Government is currently constructing the Mteza Mwache to Kwale through the Indian Ocean at Kinango.
The chaos and beating witnessed at Likoni ferry crossing during on Friday is a grave concern to the Government.
Kenyatta, who has a spot spot for Kwale and Mombasa residents is demanding a solution, not stories from technocrats in Government.
Incidentally, Kenya”s only reported Corona death is that of Engineer Michael Namiida, a respected Civil Engineer.
Among other measures Uhuru wants is the fast-tracking of Mwache, Mteza bridge.
The Mteza bridge is being undertaken by Fujita Corporation of Japan. The project was commenced last year before the Corona pandemic became a crisis and now President Kenyatta wants a solution.
Among the possibilities is the construction of a footbridge across the Likoni Channel…a temporary bridge. The only challenge here is that the Likoni Channel is the pathway for big ships bringing goods to the port of Mombasa.
