This archive report was first published on 19 October 2019.
On October 19, 2019, a sombre mood engulfed Mung'ala village, Makueni County as the two victims of the Likoni ferry tragedy Mariam Kigenda and four-year-old Amanda Mutheu were laid to rest.
Leaders from across the political divide joined family and friends at the AIC Kima grounds for the funeral service, which was attended by notable figures including Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, and Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.
The bodies of Mariam and Amanda were picked from Jocham Hospital mortuary in Mombasa, where they had been preserved after being recovered from the ocean ahead of the burial.
Post-mortem reports revealed that the two died from suffocation.
The car that had the bodies of Mariam and Amanda was retrieved from the Likoni channel 13 days after it had plunged into the ocean.
The recovery operation, which was executed by a multi-agency team including the Kenya Navy, private entities from South Africa, and divers from Denmark, was marked by numerous delays due to heavy rains, poor visibility under water, and strong undercurrents in the sea.
President Uhuru Kenyatta assured the family that they would make every effort to ensure no such incident occurs again, outlining measures including building a bridge across the Likoni channel and building the Dongo Kundu bypass to ease movement between South Coast and Mombasa Island.
Earlier in the week, President Kenyatta sacked the entire Kenya ferry Services board led by the chairperson, former Taita Taveta senator Dan Mwazo, following the ferry incident.
The ill-fated car was the last to board MV Harambee ferry on Sunday, September 29, 2019, and it is alleged that the car reversed when the ferry was midstream, plunging the car into the ocean.
