A family in Nyamira is calling upon President William Ruto to compensate them after their kin lost his life in a ferry accident.

Their son Thomas Onduto lost his life in an accident involving the MV Mtongwe Ferry in 1994, and they were promised compensation. However, 30 years later, they have not received any compensation.

Despite providing all the documents that they were asked for to facilitate the compensation, the family says that efforts to get reimbursed have remained futile and are now calling on President Ruto to intervene.

An enthusiastic Thomas Onduto left home in 1994 to start a new job in Mombasa. However, the travel that was aimed to change their lives for the better because the first child had gotten a job turned into disguise as the family lost their first child.

A ferry cruising along the Likoni Channel on July 15, 2023.

Photo

Ferry Kenya

"It was his first day to report to work, but unfortunately, when he got there, he was involved in an accident at the Mtongwe Ferry," Job Onduto, the brother narrated.

Onduto was among 257 other people who lost their lives in the MV Mtongwe Ferry accident.

After the accident, the government gave a total of Ksh46 million to compensate families, but Onduto's family never got anything from this cash.

The money was able to settle only 207 families out of the 257 families that lost their loved ones in the accident.

In a letter to the family by the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) dated September 15, 2008, the family was yet to be compensated because they did not seek compensation through the law courts. KFS was replaced by the current Kenya Ports Authority.

"Our records indicate that Onduto passed on in the ill-fated accident. The late Onduto's relatives have been to our offices pursuing compensation but have been advised to wait until all matters in court are finalised since they did not seek compensation through the law courts," the letter read.

According to the KFS, they had already settled 207 fatal cases out of the 257 cases that were filed in court and instructed its advocates to conclude the pending 50 fatal and 100 injury cases in court.

For the unresolved cases, KFS said in 2008 that it was only awaiting the plaintiff advocates to furnish the courts with details of the deceased/injured.

The family took the documents of their son as directed in 2017, to an advocate that was chosen by then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, since then, they are still awaiting the compensation.

The families that are now grappling financially are calling upon President Ruto to intervene and ensure that the compensation process is finalized and done quickly.

On April 29, 1994, 257 people died when the MV Mtongwe ferry sank 40 metres from land. There were 400 people on board.

A ferry at the Likoni crossing

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