MV NODL resumes ferry service between Nakiwogo and Bukasa
Its return provides islanders with an alternative to the wooden boats they had increasingly relied on during the vessel’s absence, amid concerns over safety and the cost of travelling by alternative means.
Passengers loading a motorcycle onto MV NODL. (Photo by Samuel Nkuba)
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MV Rafiki, also known as MV NODL Express, has resumed ferry services between Nakiwogo and Bukasa, restoring a key transport link for islanders after the vessel was taken out of service following an engine failure last month.
The vessel resumed operations on September 16, 2026, after undergoing mechanical maintenance and safety checks at Port Alice in Nakiwogo.
Its return provides islanders with an alternative to the wooden boats they had increasingly relied on during the vessel’s absence, amid concerns over safety and the cost of travelling by alternative means.
MV NODL at Nakiwogo docking pier, waiting for passengers to board and resume operations. (Photo by Samuel Nkuba)
Ayubu Ngobi, who works from Nakibanga landing site and resides at Kiyindi landing site, told New Vision on Wednesday that the vessel’s return was important to islanders who had grown tired of travelling at night.
"I pay sh15,000 on NODL, sh5,000 from Entebbe to Kampala and s 10,000 to Kiyindi, but if I'm to use a boat, I pay sh30,000, yet we're always at risk of drowning," says Ayubu.
The vessel departed Nakiwogo at 2:00 pm on Wednesday on its maiden voyage since its grounding.
The return of MV NODL follows mechanical maintenance at Port Alice in Nakiwogo after the vessel developed engine problems while travelling from Bukasa Island in Kyamuswa on August 27, 2026.
The vessel got stuck after encountering heavy waves, with its engines failing and strong winds pushing it towards the Entebbe waters. It was later rescued by MV Kalangala, its sister vessel.
NODL had earlier announced that the vessel would resume its regular schedule after the required engine servicing and safety checks.
Some of the passengers undergoing security checks before boarding. (Photo by Samuel Nkuba)
“Following the successful completion of the required engine servicing and safety checks, MV Rafiki (NODL) will resume its regular schedule of operations every Monday and Wednesday,” the statement stipulated.
The resumption comes amid concerns from islanders who had been left with limited transport options and feared that some residents would resort to wooden, overloaded boats, increasing the risk of drowning.
Saddala Musoke, the NODL managing director, had earlier said islanders were concerned about transport for their children returning to school, prompting the company to speed up the maintenance works.
He also urged fishermen to stop laying nets along the vessel routes or retrieve them as soon as possible to prevent them from clogging the vessel’s engines.
“We want to serve islanders diligently; however, if we don’t cooperate, one party will always end up in losses,” he says.
Under the schedule announced by NODL, the vessel departs Nakiwogo every Monday at 2 pm for Kiwungu in Bukasa and returns from Bukasa to Nakiwogo at 8 am. It also operates on Wednesday, while on Friday it sails to Lutoboka for boat cruises over the weekend as part of efforts to boost tourism in the islands.