Author: MEDDY MULISA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: KAGERA Regional Commissioner, Brig Gen Marco Gaguti, yesterday led hundreds of Bukoba Municipal residents to witness arrival of the New MV Victoria, when it docked at Bukoba Port at around 6.30 am.
As the ship with the full name of M Victoria Hapa Kazi Tu docked, the residents took to the harbour with dances applauding its full year renovation. For almost six years people have been waiting for the occasion.
“The revival of this vessel means a lot to the public. This is a golden opportunity for people to quicken their development. We, thank Dr John Magufuli for fulfilling his promise. People in Lake Zone Regions should get ready to improve their economies especially through crops’ productions. This is a great opportunity which should not be missed,” he remarked.
The old Mv Victoria was grounded in 2014 and it has been completely rehabilitated with new engines. The current fares would go as 45,000/- for first class, 30,000/- for business and 16,000/- for economy.
Children aged between 1-3 years are exempted from paying fares, while those aged between 3-12 years will pay half the normal rate.
The revival of the water transport from Kagera region to Mwanza means a lot to the economy of the Lake Zone, whose other several activities hinge on the transport.
The government is focusing on boosting businesses through the water transport, because it is cheap and reliable in comparison to other means of transport.
In its repair commissioned to KTMI Company from South Korea, about 22.8bn/- was spent, where 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 another new ship in Lake Victoria at 89.7bn/- with a capacity to carry 1,200 passengers, 400 tonnes of cargo, and 20 small vehicles as well as three trucks.
The vessel, which will be the largest in 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 in 1996 had an accident in the lake.
