Joho Hires South African Diving Experts in Likoni Rescue Operation

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho during a past function

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, on Wednesday, announced that he had sought help over the ongoing Likoni tragedy rescue operation.

Joho, through a tweet, revealed that he had hired a South African firm to help in the rescue operations to recover the bodies still submerged under water.

“I have sent for experts from South Africa to join efforts with multi-agency teams that are working round the clock to retrieve the bodies,” remarked Governor Joho.

The Mombasa County boss, on his part, stated that the ferry authorities needed to find new ways of securing the vehicles onboard the vessels in order to evert future disasters.

“We are vividly urging ferry authorities to enhance safety measures and consider mounting movable barriers to secure cars that may develop mechanical problems and pedestrians.

“This is not the first time this is happening. My condolences go out to the family,” noted Joho.

He further added that the public should remain patient as efforts to complete the operation had intensified.

It had been claimed that the governor hired the foreign firm for a cost of Ksh2 million.

The information, however, contradicted that of his Communications Director, Richard Chacha, who stated that the government had instead hired the firm.

Speaking to Chacha, he reiterated that the County government of Mombasa had no equipment or experts to handle the situation that had already been complicated by weather conditions in the area.

” We don’t have the capacity as the County government that is why the National government went for foreign experts to assist in the rescue operations that had been made difficult by the currents and the lack of equipment to remove the wreckage from the water,” stated Chacha.

Governor Hassan Joho with his Communication Director Richard Chacha

Earlier, the family of the victims, Mariam Kigenda and Amanda Mutheu, who died during the tragedy, through their spokesperson Luka Mbati, alleged that Joho was behind the tragedy.

“We as a family have decided to handle the matter on our own as we see no help for the County government,” explained Mbati.

He further noted that the family would seek the services of private experts to help them recover the bodies of the two.

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