The proprietor of an Entebbe-based ferry service operator has urged the Government to construct floating jetties on the island of Kyamuswa to allow one of its vessels to resume operations in the area.

On April 4 this year, MV Nathalie suspended operations for maintenance, having plied the Kasenyi-Kalangala route since last October.

It served the islands of Jaana, Bubeke, Buyange and Bukasa.

After being serviced for two weeks at Port Bell in Luzira, MV Nathalie — which is operated by Nyanza Evergreen Waterways — was fit to resume operations.

But its comeback in Kyamuswa was hampered by a lack of jetties.

On other landing sites such as in Jaana and Lwaazi, MV Nathalie would only be beached to allow travellers to board and disembark.

MV Nathalie beached at Buyange Island to allow passengers to embark and disembark.

Beaching comes at a cost to the vessel, said Olivier van Pee, the proprietor of Nyanza Evergreen Waterways, which also operates MV Vanessa.

“Cliffs on the shoreline and stones scratch these fiberglass boats and make holes within them. This makes servicing more expensive,” he said.

Rising lake waters

Meanwhile, the current rise in Lake Victoria water levels has claimed several beaches. As a result, wooden jetties have been damaged and even submerged.

Augustine Kibaya, the manager of MV Nathalie and MV Vanessa, said the beaches where the two modern vessels were previously landing have disappeared, leaving behind rocky shorelines.

“The existing remains of wooden jetties are filled with water and if we risk to land on them, people might drown,” he said.

At Kasenyi landing site in Entebbe, the beach, jetty and hoses are submerged, hampering landings.

Van Pee said floating jetties are a better choice because wooden ones are weakened by regular strong waves.

“If the Government rescues us with floating jetties, it will attract more investors who have modern boats since landings will be made easier,” he said.

He said that as private players, they cannot afford to build a sh14 million jetty.

“We need five jetties constructed at Kasenyi landing site, Jaana, Lwaazi-Bubeke, Buyange and Lwanabatya on Bukasa island running at least 20 metres from the shoreline.

"This is where we need the Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to intervene so that we resume operations and serve islanders."

The would-be alternative docking piers on Bukasa and Bubeke islands were constructed in the 1970s and to date, they are dilapidated, with only stones symbolizing their stretch to the lake.

“The Government promised to rehabilitate them to a modern level but UNRA ended the survey process," said Michael Ssekiwano, an elderly leader in Bukasa.

'Rickety boats'

The opening of the Kyamuswa water route was spearheaded by the area MP, Moses Kabuusu, with an aim of easing access to the island for both natives and tourists.

“As of now, the water levels are high, the temporary jetties that we constructed in the beginning are destroyed and for the vessel to resume operations, we need to build new ones,” said the legislator.

He added that "our people have turned back to rickety boats where they are being transported with cargo".

For now, the residents of the affected islands are thinking of raising funds to support the investor to replace the wooden jetties to enable the return of MV Nathalie.

That way, they believe it will relieve them of the burden of spending half to full days traversing Lake Victoria.

“We were already used to swift, safe and easy means of transport and its failure to return due to jetties is costing our lives, mainly expectant mothers who would reach Entebbe hospital swiftly,” said Hadijah Nakimweero, a leader in Kyamuswa.

UNRA responds

When contacted for a comment, UNRA spokesperson Allan Ssempebwa said they are only mandated to oversee the effectiveness of water vessels, such as ferries and ships, but not granting licenses or construction. 

“He [Van Pee] should write to the Ministry of Works and Transport, address his challenges, plans and further developments when it comes to regulation of water transport,” said Ssempebwa.

Efforts to get a comment from the water and transport ministry were futile.