Long-awaited Uganda's largest ferry finally takes shape

Transport woes for residents of Lolwe and Sigulu sub-counties in Namayingo District will soon be history when Uganda’s largest ferry starts floating on Lake Victoria.
This is because the construction of Sigulu Ferry at Masese Landing Site, Walukuba-Masese Division in Jinja Municipality, is in advanced stages.

The long awaited MV Sigulu, a government undertaking, is meant to serve residents of Lolwe and Sigulu sub-counties in Namayingo District.
Uganda National Roads Authority says about 95 per cent of construction works are complete.
“MV Sigulu ferry now under construction at Masese, Jinja. Progress at 95 percent. UNRA executive director [Ms Allen Kagina] inspects ongoing works,” said UNRA's media relations manager, Mr Allan Sempebwa, on Wednesday.

JGH Marine A/S, a Danish firm contracted to build the ferry, started construction in September 2018.
The vessel is going to be Uganda's largest ferry with a capacity of 300 passengers when complete, according to Mr Sempebwa.

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As of August 2009, when the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications launched the National Transport Master Plan, Uganda boasted of only six ferries

A 20-man delegation from Namayingo District, while on a site tour of the ferry recently said they had endured poor or lack of service delivery for a long a time.

Mr James Ouma Wandera, the district secretary for health and education, said expectant mothers had been making a 20km boat expedition to Kenya to give birth and immunise their children.
“They sail to Kenya and back at Shs30,000 and after giving birth, make another trip to immunise the child,” he said.
Roads inspection

Meanwhile, Ms Kagina and a team of technical staff have started a four-day inspection of road projects in eastern Uganda.

“The inspection is intended to monitor progress of works, meet and engage Project Affected Persons [PAPs] and to introduce upcoming projects to the communities for instance Tororo-Mbale-Soroti road 150.8Km (Lot 1) and Lot 2 of Soroti-Dokolo-Lira-Kamudin road [189Km] due for Rehabilitation and maintenance under the North Eastern Road-corridor Asset Management Project [NERAMP] funded by the World Bank,” Mr Sempebwa said in a statement.

Other projects to inspect include;
▪︎Ongoing construction of Musita-Lumino/Busia-Majanji road.
▪︎Ongoing construction of Bumbobi-Lwakhakha road.
▪︎Kapchorwa- Suam road.
▪︎Soroti-Akisim road
▪︎Akisim-Moroto road
▪︎Pallisa-Kamonkoli/Kumi/Tirinyi road
▪︎Nakalama-Tirinyi-Mbale road.