Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura has said Kenya should not invite foreign divers to take part in the Likoni tragedy search operations.
Speaking on Monday morning when he appeared at Citizen Tv DayBreak show, Mwaura claimed Kenya should not allow foreigners to come in and expose the country’s shame in its struggle to retrieve the two bodies of a woman and her daughter who drowned after their car plunged into the ocean a week ago.
The senator added that the act will amount to glorifying the foreigners at the expense of the country’s professional divers.
He also took swipes with a Swedish diver whom according to Mwaura, underrated Kenya’s divers only for him to throw in the towel later after coming face to face with the reality under the sea.
“They should not come here to claim mileage at the expense of our divers. We cannot allow foreigners to come here and show us how stupid we are. We should not glorify foreigners because of the inferiority complex we have here,” claimed Mwaura.
Isaac Mwaura- Nominated senator: We cannot allow foreigners to come in and expose our shame, we should not glorify foreigners #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/27UHaWxrgv
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 7, 2019
According to Mwaura, building flyovers and the use of cable cars may be Kenya’s viable option in resolving ferry tragedies.
His claims were, however, rubbished by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa who accused Mwaura of inviting his personal differences with the foreigners into a matter of national concern.
Wamalwa supported the involvement of foreigners in the operation saying they will help boost the search especially at the time the operation has fully gone digital.
“When we have experts coming from outside, we should be able to accept. Let them come because we have already demonstrated as Kenya that we don’t have the capacity in terms of technology,” stated Wamalwa.
Chris Wamalwa- Mp Kiminini: As time goes by, it is going to be a lot more difficult to trace the bodies #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/MBKZwaoleg
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 7, 2019
While citing the case of Lake Nakuru’s 2017 incident where one body went missing, Wamalwa expressed fears that as time goes by, it is going to be a lot more difficult to trace the bodies due to the situation at the seabed.
Mathare MP Anthony Olouch, who was also present at the show said the Likoni ferry accident has exposed the soft underbelly of the Kenya Navy.
William Kamket- MP,Tiaty: As Kenyans, we need to accept that we are a developing country and should be open to countries and agencies that can help us achieve more long term solutions #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/zDCZ9hNzhE
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 7, 2019
He wondered why during public holidays, the navy is constantly showing equipment they have and what they can do and only for them to be exposed in a bad way when such a tragedy occurs.
He added that Kenya Ferry Services should implement safety measures to ensure there is reduced loss of lives on the ferry.