The Mombasa county government has embarked on demolishing illegal structures on waterways to prevent floods.
Poor physical planning and the mushrooming of illegal structures have been blamed for the floods that rocked Mombasa after a two-day heavy downpour. More than 1,600 families have been affected by the rains in Nyali, Kisauni, Jomvu, Changamwe, Mvita and Likoni.
Governor Hassan Joho on Wednesday said the demolitions will cut across the whole county. “This exercise is aimed at clearing unauthorised building works that are responsible for flooding,” Joho said in a statement.
The Likoni Channel crossing was not spared by the flooding, leading to the withdrawal of two ferries and suspension of ferrying of motor vehicles.
Ferries MV Nyayo and Kilindini were withdrawn as they could not stand the changes of the ocean current following the flooding. KFS managing director Hassan Musa said they had to suspend the ferrying of vehicles in the channel, leading to more than Sh1.2 million loss in two days. In the past two days, chaos has been reported in the Likoni Channel crossing following heavy human traffic after the withdrawal of the two ferries.
“The investors have channelled water paths into the ocean from different directions. This is one of the consequences of changing natural currents of ocean water,” Musa said. County commissioner Evans Achoki said they have earmarked structures for demolition. KFS ferries at least 6,000 vehicles and 300,000 people each day.
Mombasa Jubilee Party governor hopeful Suleiman Shahbal and his running mate Ananiah Mwaboza have accused Joho of failing to solve the drainage and planning issues.