Relief in sight as MV Kalangala prepares to resume services next week

KALANGALA - MV Kalangala, the vessel plying the Lutoboka–Entebbe route on Lake Victoria, is set to resume operations in March after undergoing two engine overhauls at Port Alice in Nakiwogo.

The vessel suspended its daily voyages in December following two consecutive breakdowns during trips. This occurred only months after it had returned from Mwanza, where it had undergone dry docking.

Having served islanders for over 20 years, the vessel has recently experienced recurring mechanical problems, raising concerns among travellers about their safety.

Hajji Sadala Musoke, the managing director of Nation Oil Distributors Limited, an entity that operates the vessel on behalf of the Government, confirmed that it is undergoing test runs before obtaining a seaworthiness certificate to confirm the safety of travellers.

“In the absence of MV Kalangala, MV NODL EXPRESS has been covering up the gap, operating both routes of Entebbe–Lutoboka and Lutoboka–Bukasa despite some challenges of not carrying vehicles,” says Sadala.

Sadala further noted that on March 3, 2026, the vessel will resume full operations with one return voyage daily to and from the islands.

“Our travellers have been fed with toxic information; however, we can’t risk the safety of islanders,” he added.

Although the vessel had been back in operation for only three months after dry docking at the time of the breakdown, Sadala confirmed that the scheduled engine overhaul, planned for April 2026, had not yet fallen due.

Kalangala district elected leaders, including Willy Lugoloobi, the Bujumba MP, and Agnes Lunkuse, the LC5 chairperson, cautioned NODL management to always keep the public informed about any developments regarding the vessel so that residents can plan their journeys accordingly.

“Our people are always affected since prices of commodities increase, transport costs increase like MV NODL is charging sh15,000 and sh20,000 yet cargo is limited,” said Lunkuse.

Effect on business

Since the vessel suspended operations during the festive season, a number of hotels and beaches have incurred losses after tourists cancelled their bookings.

Tyson Kangwaje, the Victoria Resort Hotel manager, told New Vision that 50% of their clients not only declined to use the available vessels but also requested refunds for money that had already been spent.

“We also have heavy cargo since our shopping is from the mainland, and the available vessels limit the kilograms carried on every voyage. This leaves us transporting it in shifts, yet they are always needed on time,” he says.

Joseph Ssempiira, who says he previously earned between sh30,000 and sh50,000 a day, says he has been earning only sh10,000 due to the absence of MV Kalangala.

The reliability and capacity of MV Kalangala cannot be compared to other vessels such as MV NODL, Vanessa, Nathalie or NODL Victoria, since vehicles loaded with cargo are transported without offloading them.

“With other small cargo, bodaboda cyclists can carry like two to three times both in the morning and evening, thus making some good money, but with the current vessels, we can’t even carry two times,” says Sseguya, a boda cyclist.