Boat owners are capitalizing on the flood situation to increase transport fees for stranded passengers traveling to and from Garissa.
Last Friday, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) closed the Mororo-Kona Punda section, declaring the road potentially unsafe. This has inconvenienced many passengers, motorists, and commuters who can no longer use the busy road.
Hundreds of lorries transporting goods and other commodities, as well as fuel tankers, remain stranded at the Madogo trading center. A spot check at Kona Punda area showed an increase in floodwaters.
Boats, typically used for rescue missions in the River Tana, are now charging at least Sh1,500 for the four-kilometer stretch between Madogo and Garissa, which has been destroyed by floods. Before the floods, matatus used to charge Sh30 for the same distance, while boats charged Sh500 for the 4-kilometer stretch in December.
Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) from Nairobi to Garissa and Wajir are dropping passengers at Madogo, where they are then forced to board boats to Garissa and connect with other buses to Wajir. Passengers, mostly traveling to Wajir and Mandera, have been lining up patiently waiting for their turn to board the only three boats operating, each with a capacity of at least 25 passengers.
Passengers are calling on the government to intervene quickly, stating that the situation needs to be addressed urgently, or they will continue to be forced to pay exorbitant fees to travel.
Ahmed Abdi, who was traveling to Wajir, expressed his frustration at the high charges, saying, “Surely, how come they are charging each person Sh1,500 for such a short distance? For someone like me, I still have a long way to go since I will have to pay Sh2,000 again to my destination. Where is the government when we are going through this suffering?”
Osman Magabo, a resident of Madogo, emphasized that many people cannot afford the amount being charged by boat owners. He called on the government to act quickly in repairing the flooded road, saying, “I survive on menial jobs which I do in Garissa town. The most I make is Sh300. Now when you tell me to pay Sh3,000 to and from Garissa, where do you expect me to get that kind of money daily?”
