Negligence led to Homa bay boat tragedy, investigation reveals

The Homa Bay boat tragedy that occurred in Lake Victoria is linked to negligence, Homa Bay county commissioner Moses Lilan has said.

Lilan said their investigations had revealed the accident resulted from carelessness by the boat operators who overloaded it before the journey began.

He said the boat carried heavy bags of cement, iron sheets, timber, firewood, and 18 passengers.

“Investigation results we have at hand say there was a lot of safety violation. And we want this to end from today henceforth so that more people are not put at risk,” Lilan said.

Speaking on Tuesday during a prayer service for the bodies of 10 people who perished in the tragedy at Jua Kali grounds in Homa town, Lilan said they would implement a raft of safety measures in the lake transport.

The administrator said he was coordinating with the Kenya Coast Guard Service and the Kenya Maritime Authority to ensure compliance with safety measures.

The measures include ensuring that all passengers in a boat must put on lifesaving jackets.

Boats must carry the required number of passengers, all coxswains must undergo certified training and nobody will be allowed to travel in the lake when drunk.

The measures will be implemented by KCGS officials who will be patrolling the lake.

“Any boat proprietor in the transport sector who cannot comply with the maritime rules should shift to another business. All coxswains must undergo training from the accredited institution,” he said.

He said anybody found violating the rules will suffer legal consequences.

Governor Cyprian Awiti, his deputy Hamilton Orata and the county secretary Isaiah Ogwe were present. Others included Finance executive Nicholas K’Oriko, Bishop Wanda Odongo and Supkem's Abdul Masud.

Awiti said there is a need to implement maritime safety rules to prevent deaths in the lake.

Awiti said any life lost is a serious setback to Homa Bay.

“We do not want to lose any more lives in this lake. Let the rules stipulated by Lilan be implemented strictly,” Awiti said.

Orata said boat operators who do not want to comply with the safety measures should be denied business permits.

“It is better to deny someone a business permit than make them operate boats which can cause deaths in our lake,” Orata said.

He urged insurance companies to design packages for insuring vessels and people who use Lake Victoria.

“We know insurance companies insure big vessels in the Indian Ocean. We appeal to them to come and insure our people because this is the best way of reducing damages cases of an accident,” Orata said.

Clerics, led by Independent Kristo Church of East Africa archbishop Vincent Arogo, who lost six members of his church, expressed concerns that the motorboat was overloaded.

He argued that the accident would not have occurred if the boat operators complied with maritime safety measures.

“I know we’ll all die, but we shouldn’t be negligent,” Arogo said.

The boat was travelling from Pier Beach in Homa Bay town to Ndhuru beach in Suba North.