Travellers stranded as sole public vessel to Kalangala remains grounded
Passengers at Lutoboka landing site in Kalangala District aboard a canoe to connect to Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe on April 1, 2022. PHOTO | SYLVESTER SSEMUGENYI
What you need to know:
- Being a tourism destination, Kalangala receives a huge number of tourists both local and international using Entebbe-Lutoboka route as their convenient route with MV Kalangala.
A section of hotel and beach owners in the island district of Kalangala continue to suffer losses as the only public vessel, MV Kalangala which takes travellers from Entebbe to the island remains grounded.
Being a tourism destination, Kalangala receives a huge number of tourists both local and international using Entebbe-Lutoboka route as their convenient route with MV Kalangala.
MV Kalangala has since February 25, been docked at Nakiwogo Pier undergoing mandatory servicing. This exercise was expected to last one month, according to Nation Oil Distributors (NODL), a firm that manages the vessel.
Ever since MV Kalangala suspended operations, there has been no reliable transport means between Entebbe and Kalangala.
The only available vessels are those managed by EverGreen marine services (MV Natalie and MV Vanessa) carry a very small number of passengers (60 people) at ago, leaving the rest of the passengers stranded and some forced to use the risky canoes.
Mr Dan Mwanje, the chairperson of Kalangala Hotels and Beach Owners Association (KHBOA) said earnings by hotel and beach owners in Kalangala have gone down by 50 per cent in the past one month as a result of the absence of MV Kalangala.
“It is true our operations are paralyzed, some tourists have already cancelled their bookings to visit Kalangala during the Easter Holiday. So, we are not sure when it [MV Kalangala] will resume normal operations,” he said in an interview with Daily Monitor.
He said some hotels have started to lay off some casual workers since their income can't appropriately meet their daily costs.
“We currently receive a few guests mostly local tourists and the income we get cannot sustain the huge number of staff we have. When the situation normalises, we shall call them back,” he added
Mr Fredrick Kigozi, a fish trader at Lutoboka landing site, said he is struggling to transport fish using the canoe boats to fish markets in Entebbe.
“MK Kalangala has always been our best option, transporting fish in canoes to our clients in Entebbe is expensive given the high current fuel prices,” he said.
In an interview with Daily Monitor last month, NODL executive director, Mr Sadala Musoke, said the planned repairs on MV Kalangala had taken longer than anticipated, thus delaying the vessel’s annual mandatory servicing at Port Bell, Luzira.
According to Mr Musoke, the mandatory service was to happen after minor repairs on the vessel which were to last a week at Nakiwogo Pier. He, however, assured travellers that the vessel will resume normal operations before the Easter holiday despite the delays. Daily Monitor has learnt that the vessel was last week relocated to Port Bell, Luzira dry dock where the remaining repair works are to be conducted.
