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{
    "id": 76180,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/76180/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 362,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kimunya",
    "speaker_title": "32 Tuesday, 23rd November, 2010 The Minister for Transport",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish to make the following Statement on the safety measures on marine transport as requested by Mrs. Odhiambo-Mabona. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on the 1st November 2010, at about 14.10 hours a passenger boat, Nyamabi, sailing on Lake Victoria on her way from Mfangano Island to Mbita with 15 persons on board capsized. The accident happened approximately 30 miles off Mbita and five persons were rescued immediately. The Beach Management Unit coordinator relayed the accident report to the Fisheries Department, the Kenya Police and the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) office in Kisumu. The KMA inspector immediately went to the scene to coordinate the search and rescue mission. The KMA Search and Rescue Centre (SRC) sought the help of the Kenya Navy to assist in the search and rescue mission and ten divers were dispatched from Mombasa to Mbita via Nairobi on a Kenya Air Force aircraft. A total of 11 bodies were recovered. You will notice the discrepancy. Fifteen people were supposed to be on board; five were rescued and 11 were recovered. So, obviously, the numbers that were given by the boat were misleading. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the initial search indicated that the cause of the accident was overloading of the vessel. It is reported to have been loaded with entertainment equipment; large speakers and tents, including heavy support poles and passengers. That is about the accident. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other issue is what we are doing on safety and insecurity. I would like to just say that the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) is the Government agency mandated in matters of safety of ships and preservation of marine environment. That mandate is carried out through boat and ship inspections aimed at ensuring that all Kenyan ships and boats, plying the territorial and inland waters are constructed and maintained in seaworthy conditions. As of now, the KMA is developing regulations setting out technical standards for lifesaving appliances on board vessels and the correct number and operational conditions. These standards will also cover the training of boat users as qualified coxswains. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will leave out the details on what is required on the training and curriculum, because that is being worked on. I just want to say that the KMA operates a regional search and rescue centre at Mombasa. A sub-centre at Lake Victoria is in development at Kisumu and a Global Maritime Distress Safety Communication System has already been installed with radio equipment with all the various frequencies. We have given details of that in the Statement which I will be tabling. One of the systems we have; the Sailor TRT 5022 is capable of operating on all international VHF channels. Other sub-centres are also at Port Bell and Mwanza Regional Centre within the East African Community (EAC) framework. Basically, I think we are working together with the police enforcement. As a result of that, we were able to intervene and rescue the people. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in terms of rescue operations, again, I have detailed out what needs to happen. The regulations to be enacted makes it a requirement that all boats operating in the lake must have a mobile phone so as to have access to distress points and pilot number for search and rescue operations. I think this is part of the training and communication that will be given to all the boat users not just on that lake but on all the inland waters and Mombasa."
}