President Uhuru Kenyatta has been faulted over his recent move that resulted to the firing of members of the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) board.

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Coast-based civil society organisations have blamed the President over this move, terming it as just but a public relation (PR) move.

The societies, Kenya Community Support Centre, Ujamaa Centre Organisation, Haki na Usawa, High Voice Africa, and Manyatta Youth Entertainment CBO, led by Haki Africa, said the President's move would not achieve anything at the ferry in terms of safety and security at the channels.

On September 29, a mother, Mariam Kighenda and her daughter Amanda Mutheu drowned after their car slid from MV Harambee and plunged into the Indian Ocean.

The two bodies stayed inside the seabed for 13 days before divers led by the Kenya Navy retrieved them. This angered many Kenyans who raised concerns over the safety of ferry users.

The immediate move by the government after the accident was firing of all board members.

Haki Africa rapid response officer Mathias Shipeta has said the government has targeted the wrong people.

They also raised corruption claims at the ferry services, adding that the government should be addressing such matters. 

They urged the government to invest in new vessels as well as hiring and training divers at KFS.