Author: MEDDY MULISA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: A EUPHORIC atmosphere has engulfed Kagera and Mwanza regions, as the new MV Victoria resumes services in Lake Victoria today, after undergoing year-long renovations.
Marketing and Business Manager of Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL), Mr Philemon Bagambilana, told the ‘africa-press’ in an interview that the ship, the full name of which is MV Victoria Hapa Kazi Tu, will set sail from Mwanza South Port at around 9.30 pm and is scheduled to dock at Bukoba Port at 6.00 am tomorrow.
“We are grateful to President John Magufuli. The revival of this vessel means a lot to the public and the company as well.
Once in full operation the area residents will benefit a lot especially in their socio-economic activities.
Initial fares have been fixed as: 45,000/- for first class, 30,000/- (business class) and 16,000/- for economy class.
Children aged between 1-3 years are exempted from paying fares, while those aged between 3-12 years will pay half the normal rate”, he said.
MSCL Managing Director, Mr Erick Hamis, said the revival of public marine transport between Kagera and Mwanza regions means a lot to the economy of the Lake Zone.
The officials were in Bukoba Municipality to get views from stakeholders on Friday. Kagera Regional Commissioner, Brig Gen Marco Gaguti commended President John Magufuli while also appealing to people to double crop production to improve their incomes.
“This is a golden opportunity for people to speed up their development. We thank Dr Magufuli for fulfilling his promise.
People in Lake Zone regions should get ready to improve their economy through increased production of cash and food crops.
This is a great opportunity which should not be missed,” he remarked. A raw banana trader from Migera Street in Bukoba Municipal Council, Getrude Kokunywegera (27), said: “The New MV Victoria will enable us to conduct business easily between Bukoba and Mwanza.”
The government is focusing on boosting businesses through marine transport, because it is cheap and reliable in comparison to other means of transport.
For almost six years, people have been anxiously waiting for the occasion. The old MV Victoria was grounded in 2014.
It has been completely rehabilitated. In its repair commissioned to KTMI Company from South Korea, about 22.8bn/- was spent, whereby in 2018, the government through MSCL injected 152bn/- to revive three vessels and finance the construction of a shipway at Mwanza South Port in Mwanza City.
The project also involved the construction of a new ship in Lake Victoria at the cost of 89.7bn/- with a capacity to carry 1,200 passengers, 400 tonnes of cargo, 20 small vehicles and three trucks.
The vessel, which will be the largest in the Great Lakes region, measures 92.6 metres in length, 17 metres width and 11.2 metres height.
The construction of the 3,500-tonne vessel is being undertaken by Gas Entec and Kangnam Corporation, all from South Korea and SUMA JKT.
Upon its completion, the ship will operate at a minimum speed of 14 nautical miles per hour and a maximum of 16 knots.
The ship will ply between Mwanza-Bukoba, Mwanza-Musoma and Mwanza to some ports in Kenya and Uganda.
The projects are in line with the fulfillment of President John Magufuli’s 2015 general election pledge that a new ship would be constructed to replace the MV Bukoba that sank off Mwanza Port in 1996.
