Buvuma to get another vessel

Buvuma District is set to get an additional vessel to boost agricultural activities. This follows complaints from farmers that their produce takes long to reach the market due to transport challenges since there is only one ferry connecting to the island district.

“There are many people currently travelling to Buvuma due to increasing economic activities, including the palm oil project and all these people cannot be served by one ferry,” Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the  media relations manager of Uganda National  Roads  Authority (Unra), said  in an interview at the weekend.

Buvuma, which is on Lake Victoria, comprises 52 islands. 

Mr Ssempebwa said the new vessel is being built by Songoro Marine Transport Ltd, a Tanzanian  firm.

“The physical work is being done at Sorongo Marines Shipyard in Mwanza, Tanzania. Overall works stand at 85 percent and expected to be ready by end of March. Once complete, the vessel will  supplement the efforts delivered by the existing ferry,” he added.  

The vessel, whose capacity doubles the existing MV Buvuma ferry, is expected to cost $ 3,360,500 (about Shs11 .7b).
The existing ferry connecting to Buvuma was built by marine engineers from Southern Engineering Company Ltd (SECO) at Shs8b and it was handed over to the government in July 2020. It has a capacity to carry a maximum of 300 passengers and 12 vehicles.

The Buvuma District chairperson, Mr  Adrian Wasswa Ndungu, said the second vessel for Buvuma-Kiyindi is timely since the existing ferry cannot  handle the increasing cargo volumes  transported to the mainland daily. 

“We are eager to receive the second vessel because it will further reduce the transport hurdles our people are currently facing,” he said. 

The Buwoya Sub-county chairperson, Mr Samuel Looma, said through sensitisation, many residents who were predominantly fishermen, have embraced farming which has increased agricultural productivity in the area.

“There are many developments taking place in Buvuma and the tourism sector is also steadily growing like it is the case in Kalangala,” he said. 

Early this month, government announced that it was building a new ferry to connect Bubembe and Bunyama islands to Buggala Island, Kalangala’s biggest island. 

All vessels connecting to Kalangala currently dock on Buggala Island, leaving residents on the remaining 63 islands to use canoes as the only alternative transport.

Ferries
Unra operates eight ferries on various lakes and River Nile.

These are Laropi-Umi ferry connecting Moyo and Adjumani districts, Masindi Port ferry for Kiryandongo-Apac route, Nakiwogo ferry for Entebbe-Kyanvubu route, Wanseko-Panyimur Ferry for Buliisa to Nebbi and Obongi ferry from Moyo to Adjumani.

Others are MV Kyoga 1 and MV Kyoga 2, both on Amolatar-Nakasongola, and Lake Bisina ferry for Katakwi-Kumi route.