INSIDE TANZANIA REPORTER
The United Republic of Tanzania has been commended for its modern vessel project, MVNew Mwanza, which is expected to begin operations on Lake Victoria, providing transport services to East African countries bordering the lake.
The commendation was made by Chaiperson of the Sectoral Council of Ministers of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), Uganda’s Minister of Water and Environment, Major General (Retired) Kahinda Otafiire, during their 24th meeting held in Kisumu, Kenya, on 23 October 2026.
The meeting discussed various issues, including the conservation and sustainable utilisation of resources in Lake Victoria. It was attended by ministers from the eight member states of the East African Community (EAC).
Hon. Otafiire expressed his gratitude and congratulated the Government of Tanzania on the vessel project. MV Mwanza has the capacity to carry 1,200 passengers, 400 tonnes of cargo and 20 vehicles.
Speaking after the meeting, Tanzania’s Deputy Minister in the Vice-President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment), Hon. Reuben Kwagilwa, who led the Tanzanian delegation, said the vessel project would benefit all countries bordering Lake Victoria.
It will be recalled that a Tanzanian delegation led by Mr Charles Kadonya, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation responsible for East African Community affairs, visited Kisumu Port to exchange experiences and discuss the anticipated arrival of MV New Mwanza, which is expected to begin operations at the port in the near future.
During the visit, Mr Kadonya emphasised the importance of continued cooperation among EAC Partner States to ensure that the utilisation of Lake Victoria’s resources promotes sustainable development and delivers benefits to all member states while safeguarding the environment.
He also expressed his appreciation to the Government of Kenya for its cooperation in facilitating the commencement of MV New Mwanza’s operations at Kisumu Port.
“At this meeting, we heard representatives from EAC Partner States warmly welcome this vessel project. We are committed to ensuring that the vessel serves all member states, enabling people to travel more easily from one destination to another. This is a major achievement,” he said.
Meanwhile, the meeting also saw the launch of a strategic plan aimed at strengthening the management, conservation and sustainable protection of the Lake Victoria environment.
The eight countries that make up the Lake Victoria Basin Commission are Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, which currently chairs the Commission, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Somalia.
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