Mombasa residents are now embracing the Sh1.9 billion Liwatoni floating bridge that they had opposed at first.
About 220, 000 people use the 824-metre long bridge per day.
Coast regional commissioner John Elungata on Tuesday said the bridge served a total of 222,302 persons while on Monday 208,005 persons used the floating bridge.
Elungata said Tuesday’s number represents 74 per cent of the people who used to cross at the Likoni ferry channel.
According to Kenya Ferry Services, a total of 300,000 people and 6,000 vehicles used to cross at the ferry channel every day before the floating bridge was constructed.
“Slowly, we will have everyone using the floating bridge. Since March 31, the number of those using the bridge has been going high, a sign that people have begun appreciating the project,” Elungata said.
“Very soon, we shall have an average of 250,000 people using the bridge every day because it was built to end perennial human traffic at the Likoni ferry and curb the spread of Covid-19.”
The bridge is open to the public from 4 am-8 am during the morning peak hours and from 4 pm to 8 pm during the evening peak hours.
During those peak hours, commuters on foot are not allowed to use the ferries. They are only allowed from 9 am-3 pm and past 8 pm.
On March 22, the Mombasa County Emergency Response Committee on Covid-19 recommended that all ferry commuters start using the floating bridge.
This was after members of the public shunned the bridge for close to three months citing insecurity, lack of accessibility to the bridge, the scorching sun and the long-distance over the bridge, which is about a kilometre.
On March 31, after push and pull, the residents were forced to start using the bridge, despite massive resistance.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, who co-chairs the Committee on Covid-19 with county commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo, were accused of subjecting the residents to untold suffering.
Barely two days after the implementation of the order on mandatory use of the floating bridge, Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki and his Kwale counterpart Issa Boy faulted the directive.
They said the use of the floating bridge is not a solution to the congestion at the Likoni ferry.
The senators said the use of both the bridge and the ferries would be a more effective way of decongesting the Likoni crossing channel.
“There are people with disabilities and sick people who use the ferries and forcing them to walk 1.2km on this bridge is like a punishment to them. They would rather use the ferries,” Faki said.
According to Joho and Kitiyo, they are working to ensure 99 per cent of all commuters from the Likoni area use the floating bridge.
On the issue of security, Kitiyo said six security officers are stationed on each side of the bridge.
The ferries were identified as one of the high-risk areas for Covid-19 transmission in Mombasa.
Other high-risk areas were the public service vehicles, the standard gauge railway passenger trains, boda bodas and tuk-tuks.
Political and religious gatherings were also identified as super spreaders.
Joho said there shall be no preferential treatment at the Likoni crossing channel.
“We will not have people treated differently in Likoni. All pedestrians must use the Likoni floating bridge. The whole idea of coming up with that bridge was a result of responding to Covid-19,” Joho said.
“Remember the bridge was procured on an emergency basis. It was done so fast because of Covid. We are now surprised that some people are giving excuses.”
The Kenya Ports Authority has been tasked with ensuring the efficiency of the floating bridge.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris