Magufuli dissolves ferries’ body as Tanzania disaster death toll surpasses 200

Tanzanian president, John Pombe Magufuli has dissolved the Tanzania Electrical, Mechanical and Electronics Services Agency (TEMESA) advisory board following last week’s tragedy on Lake Victoria.

TEMESA as specifically established to provide efficient and effective electrical, mechanical and electronic services, reliable and safe ferry transport services and hiring of equipment to government institutions and the public at large.

On Thursday, MV Nyerere, a ferry carrying over 200 passengers on a market day from Bugolora at Ukerewe Island

However, according to a statement from the Tanzanian statehouse released on Sunday, the body’s advisory board had been dissolved with immediate effect by the president.

“The ministerial advisory board under the chairmanship of Brigadier General (rtd) Mabula Mashauri has been disbanded effective from today,” read part of the statement signed by the director of presidential communications Gerson Msigwa.

According to the statement, the dissolution followed last week’s disaster.

Last week, Magufuli in a televised speech ordered for the arrest of the ferry operator and everyone involved in the management of the ferry over what he termed as negligence that led to the disaster after finding out that the cargo on the ill-fated vessel was far more than the allowed tonnage for the ferry

“The captain is already in police custody. I have also ordered that all those responsible for the operations of MV Nyerere to be arrested for questioning, “Magufuli said while appearing on tv on Friday.

Earlier, TEMESA had said they didn’t know how many passengers were aboard the ill-fated Nyerere but according to the president, there were tons of maize, crates of beer and building materials as passengers had huge luggage destined for the market.

Death toll surpasses 200

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Thursday Lake Victoria disaster has surpassed 200, this website has learnt.

Tanzania’s Minister for Transport Isack Kamwele said on Sunday that they had been able to pull out 224 bodies by Sunday adding that they would continue with the exercise.

“The exercise is still going on and at the moment we are trying to fix apparatus to lift the ferry onto land,”Kamwele said on Sunday.

Over 40 people have since the incident happened been rescued whereas burial of the deceased is also ongoing.

Magufuli on Friday announced four days of national mourning.