Partner states of the East African community in collaboration with development partners have contributed US dollars 28 million towards the improvement of maritime safety on Lake Victoria.
The funds secured by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission have facilitated various initiatives aimed at providing safe and sustainable water transportation on Lake Victoria.
Head of maritime safety and security at the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Mr. Amos Ndoto said already eighty-six aids to navigation equipment have been installed across Lake Victoria in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Out of the total amount secured by the commission under the Lake Victoria Environmental Programme (LVEMPII), USD 1.7 million was used to design, supply, install and commission eighty-six aids to navigation equipment through the Kenya marine contractors Limited.
Mr. Ndoto confirmed that eighteen aids to navigation equipment had been installed in Kisumu, Homa Bay, Mbita and Luanda k’Otieno in the Republic of Kenya.
In the Republic of Uganda, twenty-two aids to navigation equipment have been installed in Bukakata, Luku, Port Bell, Entebbe and Jinja jetties.
Forty-six aids to navigation equipment have also been installed in the United Republic of Tanzania’s Mwanza south and north ports.
Mwanza Mwalon’s jetty, Kiongoni ferry jetty, Sentry rock and Nansio port have also benefited from the installation of the new equipment.
Mr. Ndoto said the installation of the equipment have greatly improved safety and navigation of the vessels (ships and boats) across Lake Victoria.
He added that the enactment of Lake Victoria transport act (2007) has also been implemented to ensure safety and security of Lake transport.
The implementation of this regulatory framework is vested with the maritime administrative units of each EAC partner states.
The East African Community Council of Ministers also gazetted number 110 as an emergency mobile number that can be used in distress, search and rescue operations on Lake Victoria.
The Lake Victoria Basin Commission is currently co-ordinating the multinational Lake Victoria maritime communications and transport (MLVMCT) project funded by the African development bank.
“The main objective of the MLVMCT project is to promote increased transport and trade on Lake Victoria by improving maritime transport infrastructure including maritime communications, navigation safety aids and emergency search services” he said.
Mr. Ndoto said that the cost of multinational Lake Victoria communications transport (MLVMCT) is approximately USD 25 Million.
He said the project which is being implemented in Uganda and Tanzania aims at improving maritime infrastructure including maritime communications, navigation safety aids and maritime emergency rescue services.
“The project will construct three maritime rescue coordination centres in Mwanza, Entebbe and Kisumu. We envision that this ongoing project will be completed by December 2024”.
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