Kisumu
2/11/07
 
EAC COUNTRIES TO WORK OUT THE MODE OF SAFETY IN INLAND WATERWAYS TRANSPORT SYSTEM.

By Leo Odera Omolo
 
More than 100 stakeholders in inland waterways transport recently concluded a five-day workshop in th lakeside city of Kisumu where they discussed at length the safety of non-conventional ships and vessels.
 
The workshop was officially opened by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport Dr. Gershon Ikiara.
The workshop brought together  East African maritime stakeholders from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda who sounded the alarm over the safety of non-conventional vessels in the region inland waterways.
 
Dr. Ikiara told the participants the three countries share the same concern and have been involved in a series of behind the scene meetings previously to strategize on the way forward.
 
The PS said Kenya must strive to develop its maritime transport to the standards of countries such as Philippines and Sri -Lanka. ‘’In the past one month the three countries of the East African Community (EAC) have held the meeting to discuss the issues.’’
 
Ikiara cited the Philippines and Sri-Lanka as having the best standards. Many job opportunities have been created through their inland waterways and we should emulate them, he explained.
 
But as the PS was making his comparison, the regional consultant for the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr. Brian Watt issued a stern warning that Kenya risks being excluded from the agency’s whitelist if it does not enact into law the Merchant Shipping Bill.
 
Watt said the bill had to be passed into law to enable Kenya gain international maritime recognition. ‘’Without a clear law governing the required standards, he said adding that without a clear law governing maritime activities I do not see Kenya gaining the required standards.
 
The white list, according to Mr. Watt, contains countries that have achieved international maritime standards.
 
The Merchant Shippingbill, which will enhance regulation of navigation in the inland waterways, has been published in readiness for debate in parliament. But unfortunately the Bill will have to wait for the 10th parliament, which is expected to be reconvened early next year after the general elections, since President Mwai Kibaki had already dissolved the Ninth Parliament.
 
In his keynote address to the workshop the PS said the government of the EAC are concerned about the numerous accidents involving non-conventional vessels, especially on Lake Victoria. ‘’The operators of these vessels have been operating in the inland waters without life-saving facilities such as jackets and communication gadgets.’’
 
He cited the Bukoba ferry accident in 1996, in which more than 500 people lost their lives and the Lake Baringo accident in 2004 that could have been avoided if the vessels had life-saving facilities.
 
‘’After Uganda-owned ship Mr. Kaberega sunk in 2005, investigations revealed that even bigger vessels sailing Lake Victoria lacked adequate safety equipment on board.’’
 
The PS said Lake Victoria Transport Bill which was enacted by the East African Legislative Assembly last month, will bring sanity in water transport in the EAC countries. ‘’Once operationalised and domesticated, the Act will pave way for the development of regulation on safety of navigations and control of maritime pollution.’’
 
Besides, the Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the Kenya Institute of Education is currently developing maritime training curriculum.
 
An official of the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) said the curriculum would be completed by the end of the year.
 
Ms Nancy Korigithu the KMA Director General said the syllabus would enable the IMO to award KMA the International Convention on the standard of Training Certificate and watch keeping for seafarers (ST CW 95)
 
She said KIE has gone to town such as Mombasa and Kisumu to gather views from stakeholders to be incorporated in the curriculum.
 
The vessel operators at the workshop complained of unfair competition. One of the participants said unregistered boats were engaging in unfair competition. There should be standard rule set and every vessel on Lake Victoria should adhere to such rules’’ said Mr. Ted Odero of Mbita Ferries Ltd.
 
Ms Korigithu discloses that the government has already contracted a consultancy firm to do a boat census in the country, ‘‘we want to know the number of boats, the types and their area of operation, she said.
 
The Ps told the workshop that the inventory would determine their Shaw tuners. KMA she was a nascent parastatal, having been established last year. ‘’We only have 40 employees presently. But in the near future we will be able to establish an office in Kisumu. But the parastatal does not have statistics on the water transport facilities.
 
Korigithi said the establishment of a Maritime Police Unit (MPU) by the government could end in emergencies.
 
The Ps sent other mechanisms being put to control the operation of vessels include the development of regulation by the summit under Lakes and Rivers Act, Cap 499, laws f Kenya.
 
‘’This will regulate the activities of boats operating in Lake Turkana, Naivasha, Baringo and along the coast line.’’
 
Rescuing the MPU team had assisted in the rescuing of a group of fishermen who were stranded after getting stuck in Lake Victoria near Homa-Bay for a couple of days without food or water after he dreaded water hyacinth weeds had blocked their navigation with the KMA is currently coupling the lost, number and nature of water way incident.
 
Ends.
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com