Uganda introduced a passenger vessel on Wednesday to strengthen water transportation between the mainland and island communities on Lake Victoria. Works and Transport Minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala presented the new ferry, named MV Rafiki, which can carry 250 people and will serve the route linking Entebbe with Bukasa Island in Kalangala District.
Nation Oil Distributors Ltd. operates the service through a partnership arrangement with the government, joining two other vessels already running under similar agreements. The ferry reduces journey time to approximately two hours from the current six-hour trip via Masaka Road and will support fish merchants and other commercial operators across the 84 islands that make up Kalangala. Officials expect the service to lower costs while improving access for residents who depend on mainland connections.
The minister said authorities are pursuing plans to obtain two additional large vessels capable of transporting more than 500 passengers to serve Koome, Damba, and Busi islands. The expansion reflects government efforts to develop water transport as part of its Vision 2040 infrastructure priorities and promote multimodal connectivity across the Lake Victoria region. Africa's largest freshwater lake remains underused despite its potential for supporting regional commerce and tourism.
Nation Oil Distributors Ltd. operates the service through a partnership arrangement with the government, joining two other vessels already running under similar agreements. The ferry reduces journey time to approximately two hours from the current six-hour trip via Masaka Road and will support fish merchants and other commercial operators across the 84 islands that make up Kalangala. Officials expect the service to lower costs while improving access for residents who depend on mainland connections.
The minister said authorities are pursuing plans to obtain two additional large vessels capable of transporting more than 500 passengers to serve Koome, Damba, and Busi islands. The expansion reflects government efforts to develop water transport as part of its Vision 2040 infrastructure priorities and promote multimodal connectivity across the Lake Victoria region. Africa's largest freshwater lake remains underused despite its potential for supporting regional commerce and tourism.
