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Women lawmakers threaten to camp at Likoni Channel on Mashujaa Day

By Amina Wako October 7th, 2019 2 min read

A section of women leaders from Jubilee Party’s Inua Mama have threatened to camp at Likoni Channel during the Mashujaa Day celebrations if the bodies of a mother and daughter who drowned in the Indian Ocean will not have been retrieved.

The women legislators have criticized the government for taking too long to retrieve the bodies of Mariam Kigenda, 35, and her four-year-old daughter, Amanda Mutheu, whose vehicle plunged in to the ocean on Sunday September 29, 2019 while on board MV Harambee at the Likoni Channel.

Led by Malindi MP, Aisha Jumwa, Nakuru Woman Representative Susan Kihika and Kandara MP Alice Wahome, the lawmakers have accused the state agencies involved in the exercise of laxity, terming the incident as a shame to the whole nation.

Their sentiments have been echoed by many other Kenyans who expressed their disappointment with the government’s response in the recovery operation through hashtag #BoycottMashujaaDay

Jumwa, while speaking at Kandara and Maragua constituencies, where the group donated equipment to various women groups, said Mashujaa Day celebrations should be halted to give the country a chance to mourn the mother and her daughter.

“If the bodies will not have been retrieved, I will lead women from all corners of the nation at Likoni Ferry during Mashujaa Day to mourn the death of Kigenda and her daughter,” said Ms Jumwa.

The women leaders also want President Uhuru Kenyatta to sack officials of the Kenya Ferry Services for failing to put in place measures to protect the lives of millions of Kenyans who use their services every single day.

Ms Kihika brought up the incident of Lake Nakuru helicopter crash that happened in November 2017.

Two of her staff were on board the ill-fated helicopter that had four people on board.

Her staff’s bodies were never retrieved from the lake and the Senator has blamed Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho for doing nothing, despite their dockets being responsible for addressing disasters.

“It’s shameful that we have not done anything to address systems to retrieve bodies. My two crew have not been traced up to date,” said Kihika.