Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho on Friday blasted people who castigated him over the Likoni Ferry tragedy that left a mother and her daughter dead.
On September 29, a car slid from MV Harambee ferry and plunged into the Indian Ocean with its occupants, a mother, Mariam Kighenda and her four-year-old daughter, Amanda Mutheu.
The car was retrieved from the ocean on Friday evening, October 11.
Joho who was criticized over the same accident hit back at those who castigated him.
"We got a tragedy at the Likoni Ferry Channel, many people said a lot of things, but for us, we know when such things happen, people with their wisdom pray for the family so that God helps them (Tulipata mkasa wa ferry, wengi wakasema mambo mengi, story mingi lakini sisi tunasema kunapotokea mkasa, watu wenye desturi na heshima, wanaombea mwenzao mwenyezi mungu na kuwapitia pole)," said Joho
Joho added that divers who risked their lives should be thanked for their effort.
Several divers, from the private sector and government agencies worked hand-in-hand under the coordination of the Kenya Navy in the salvage mission that lasted for 13 days.
"It is our responsibility to appreciate those who risked their lives to save the bodies and the car, they risked their lives to recover dead bodies and not save lives (Sisi ni majukumu kushukuru wale walio ifanya ile kazi, you must remember they went there for recovery and not for rescue, wameeka maisha yao at risk for recovery)," he continued.
"Those who talked a lot on social media, I dare you to dive for only 5 meters and not even 60 metres (So yule mtu alijiona unajisikia una kifua na mdomo sana wa kuongea kwa mtandao, acha kuingia 60m, ingiia tu 5m)," added Joho.