KAMPALA.
Works and Transport Gen .Edward Katumba Wamala has revealed that MV Kaawa, one of Uganda’s oldest ships, will resume normal operations possibly next month after nearly a year undergoing major repairs .
MV Kaawa was grounded in May 2005 after it collided with MV Kaabalega on its way to Mwanza,Tanzania . MV Kabalega which was en route to Port Bell in Kampala got damaged below the waterline. While MV Kaawa managed to safely return to Port Bell, Kabalega sank a few hours after the collision between Kuye Island and Bukasa Island in Kalangala District. MV Kaawa also collided with MV Pamba.
According to Gen Katumba , repairs on MV Kaawa are currently over 80 percent and it will be fit to sail by end of September . “ If all goes according to the plan , we will have MV Kaawa back on the water by end of September . Our target is to improve maritime which a big section of the public has been demanding,” he said during parliamentary plenary section last week .
Mid last month , Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) which manages all wagon ferries announced that they had undocked MV Kaawa, after months of rehabilitation. The rehabilitation works included steel works, overhaul of Portside Engine, Fuel Injection System of the Starboard Side Engine and replacement of Hydrophore Tank, among others.
When it becomes fully operational , MV Kaawa will ease the haulage of cargo on Lake Victoria , along with MV Pamba. Each of the vessels can transport 880 tonnes of cargo with roll-on wagons, and 1200 tonnes with cargo on deck per trip in 18 hours.
MV Pamba was rehabilitated and relaunched by government in February 2022 after being grounded for 16 years due to class requirement issues and lack of issuance .
The grounding was induced by an investigation into the seaworthiness of Ugandan vessels after the collision of Kabalega and Kaawa .
On 18th May 2020, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Government of Uganda (represented by the Ministry of Works and Transport) and M/S Mango Tree Group Limited (MTGL).
As per the MoU, MTGL was to carry out the rehabilitation, upgrade, and class, ensure and commission MV Pamba. The whole project cost Shs 12b .
The two state-owned vessels will join the growing number of ferries across Lake Victoria, most of them privately owned by companies in Uganda, as well as those from Kenya and Tanzania .