By Habil Onyango
On a Thursday morning, Gladys Anyango, a businesswoman from Ringiti Island, boarded a water bus to Mbita.
Many other passengers were also business people heading to the lakeside town to purchase goods.
However, when she returned in the evening, she unfortunately missed the last water bus back to the island.
With no alternative, she was forced to board a wooden boat along with other passengers and their goods.
“When we reached the middle of the lake, the weather changed drastically, and it started to rain accompanied by a storm,” she recounted.
The overloaded boat overturned, resulting in the tragic loss of five passengers, while the twenty, including Anyango who managed to wear life jackets, survived, albeit losing all of their valuables.
Anyango is a living testimony; she represents the many lake users who have survived tragedies on Lake Victoria due to inadequate safety measures and substandard vessels.
Thousands of residents on islands within Homa Bay County rely solely on water transport to connect with the mainland.
Commuters on Lake Victoria face severe risks, including frequent boat capsizing due to sudden storms, overcrowded and poorly maintained vessels, and a lack of life jackets.
Additional dangers include unpredictable weather patterns, piracy, and the threat of rising water levels damaging infrastructure, leading to overloading or collisions and further lack of safety equipment.
In September 2021, a boat traveling from Homa Bay town pier to Ndhuru beach capsized, resulting in at least two deaths and numerous rescues.
In March 2023, another overloaded boat capsized, causing at least eight fatalities on the lake.
Fishermen have also faced dangers, with several drowning during fishing expeditions after colliding with larger vessels or capsizing due to severe weather.
Lake users are often blamed for the increasing number of deaths, as many ignore safety regulations.
Vessels are frequently overloaded with passengers and cargo and often lack proper safety equipment.
However, some commuters have begun using safer vessels, such as ferries and water buses, which operate within the lake.
This, however, comes at a cost, and in emergencies or to reach certain destinations that some vessels cannot access, commuters are still forced to use wooden boats.
Many boats used for transport are poorly maintained wooden vessels, and rising water levels pose additional dangers to infrastructure, compounded by inadequate port facilities.
As part of the government’s ongoing strategy to harness the blue economy, Kenya Shipyards has commenced construction of a 29-meter shallow draft ferry at the Kisumu Shipyards.
This vessel will be the first public ferry operated by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) on Lake Victoria.
According to Dr. Raymond Omollo, the Interior Security Permanent Secretary, the project is now 50 per cent complete, with most welding works finished, structural joining completed, and the passenger area ready.
“Ongoing works include electrical piping and painting of sub-structural components,” revealed Omollo.
The ferry will bridge a critical gap in public maritime transport, improving connectivity to island-rich areas such as Homa Bay County, including Mfangano Island, while linking riparian counties of Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, and Migori.
To address safety concerns, the Railway Training Institute (RTI) maritime school in Kisumu is offering training for boat operators (coxswains) through specialized maritime institutions.
The training focuses on enhancing safety, navigation, and technical skills for operating on Lake Victoria.
“This training is driven by the KMA and Kenya Railways to professionalize the blue economy, reduce accidents, and transition operators from traditional, riskier wooden boats to modern fiberglass vessels,” noted Omollo.
Improved Homa Bay Pier to accommodate the ferry
The once-neglected Homa Bay Lakefront is being reclaimed and reimagined into a vibrant, integrated economic zone anchored on the redevelopment of the pier.
The project is transforming the pier into a feed port and a strategic hub for Lake Victoria’s blue economy, positioning Homa Bay as a critical node for trade, transport, tourism, and livelihoods within the lake basin.
Phase II of the redevelopment is currently 70 per cent complete and focuses on critical port infrastructure, including terminal buildings, warehouses supported by three powerhouses, a ferry waiting area, and a permanent KPA office.
This phase also incorporates facilities such as a pedestrian security check booth and 32 cubic meter water storage tanks to support operations and service delivery, with coordinated oversight from the state department for internal security and national administration to ensure secure, orderly, and uninterrupted implementation.
Once fully commissioned, the redeveloped Homa Bay Pier will function as a critical regional gateway, significantly strengthening connectivity across the Lake Basin.
Beyond cross-border linkages within the lake region, the upgraded facility will serve as a strategic connector for counties along the lakeshore, supporting seamless movement of goods and people, and catalyzing economic integration across at least four other lake region counties, including Migori, Kisumu, Siaya, and Busia, underpinned by strengthened security coordination along lake transport corridors.
According to George Otieno, the introduction of the vessel will open up significant trade potential that has yet to be fully exploited by countries in East Africa.
George Ouma, a merchandise trader, hailed the initiative, saying it will enable them to conduct business more efficiently between the two destinations in a shorter period compared to the past.
“As a businessman, I usually travel to various parts of the country, including islands such as Mfangano, Remba, and Ringiti, selling our goods.
However, we often face inconveniences due to transportation issues, forcing us to use wooden boats that risk our lives,” he stated.
“With the planned introduction of a ferry in Lake Victoria, we hope this will make our work easier and much cheaper,” he added.
