MV Pamba vessel to begin operating on Lake Victoria

The MV Pamba ferry that has been grounded for the last 16 years is set to begin operations on Lake Victoria between Port Bell and Kisumu in June this year. 

 

State Minister for Works and Transport Joy Kabatsi said she was impressed with the work done by Mango Tree Group that is rehabilitating MV Pamba.

State Minister For Works And Transport Joy Kabatsi Inspecting Mv Pamba. Photos By Wilfred Sanya

Kabatsi said it is better to deal with the private sector in rehabilitating the ship because they deliver their work in time.

Kabatsi made the remarks on Tuesday during the inspection of MV Pamba, which has been under rehabilitation by the Chinese private firm.

She said they are going to work out with the Auditor General’s office to get the total amount spent on the rehabilitation of the ship, for government to refund it back under a five-year agreement.

She said this comes after the Uganda Railway Corporation responsible for managing the vessel had proposed 25 years. She alluded that the issue of giving the investor long-term concession may not yield fruits.

 

MV Pamba, a Ugandan-owned vessel, sunk with huge amounts of cargo after a collision with a sister vessel MV Kabalega, on Lake Victoria in 2005. The MV Kabalega has never been recovered.

According to Fan Shachun, the Chief Executive officer of Mango Tree Group, they have invested sh18.6b in rehabilitating MV Pamba.

MV Pamba

Shachun said it is hard to determine the actual costs before the vessel starts moving.

He added that so far, the work is 80% complete, and they expect the vessel to be ready by June.