This archive report was first published on 4 August 2019.
Published on August 4, 2019, a group of Tanzanian fishermen have been stranded at the Mombasa port for the last three weeks, calling on authorities to expedite their travel back home.
The seafarers, who were temporarily hosted at a centre after their fishing vessel, FV Faraja, was detained, fear that the owners might fail to secure their passage home.
Speaking to The Standard, Shaban Mohamed, the vessel's chef, expressed concerns about their situation, saying, "We have been well received and are now under the daily care of the Mission to Seafarers chaplain Moses Muli and Betty Makena of the International Transport Workers Federation. Ms Makena ensures that we get daily hot meals. But for how long shall this be the case? We need to be paid our dues and sent home."
The crew of the vessel, docked at the Liwatoni Fisheries Complex, claimed they had not been paid their salaries for the past five months, with Blue Aqua Marine, listed as the vessel's owner, owing them $47,000 (Sh4.8 million).
Rev Muli, the Mission to Seafarers chaplain, stated, "We acted fast to help minimise the crew's suffering. They are eating three hot meals a day and are free to use the amenities at this centre as efforts are made to repatriate them to their respective countries."
