Mtongwe ferry tragedy: Nyamira family still seeking compensation for kin's death 31 years later

A family from Nyamira County is appealing for compensation from the government, following the death of their kin in the infamous Mtongwe ferry tragedy.

For over three decades, the family of Thomas Onduto says they have unsuccessfully appealed to the Kenya Ferry Services to process the compensation due to them to no avail.

This comes even as the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) took over the Kenya Ferry Services, leaving families stranded.

Thomas, who was 24 years old in April 1994, left home for Mombasa where he had secured a job; but as fate would have it, he would return home in a casket.

His brother Job Onduto said: “Hiyo siku ndio ilikuwa ya kwanza akienda kureport kazi lakini sasa kwa bahati mbaya hakufika, yeye akapata accident huko Mtongwe ferry na wazazi walikuwa wanamtegemea sana na walikuwa wanajua ati atapata kazi ya kukuja kusaidia familia.”

Thomas was among the 257 people who died after the MV Mtongwe ferry capsized on April 29, 1994.

The government released a total of Ksh.46.3 million to pay compensation claims to the affected families.

The deceased’s father, Ezekiel Onduto, is yet to get a penny. In a letter dated September 15, 2008, he was advised to file a compensation claim in court in order to process the funds.

The family says, despite their travels to Mombasa, they are yet to get a response regarding the status of their claim

“Tuliambiwa tuchukue documents ya marehemu kwa advocate ambaye rais Uhuru alichagua tukachukua in 2017 tukaambiwa tuongojee kutoka kwa DC…since then tumengojea na up to now hatujawai kuona anything,” said Ezekiel.

The deceased’s mother Mary Onduto added: “Tumeuza kila kitu, tumeuza ng’ombe, kila kitu tumeuza ndio tutafute hiyo pesa lakini sikupata.”

The Kenya Ports Authority, which took over the Kenya Ferry Services, has indicated that the matter can be handled by the Ministry of Transport.

Until then, Onduto’s family holds on to pictures, as they await a response regarding their claim.