The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will officially transfer the Sh2.4 billion MV Uhuru II to Kenya Railways Corporation in Kisumu.
The construction of MV Uhuru II, a 100-meter-long vessel, began in June 2021 under the supervision of Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL), a state-owned company.
The vessel, which was commissioned by President William Ruto in October 2023, is set to enhance transportation on Lake Victoria.
The handover event will be attended by Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Soipan Tuya, and Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Davis Chirchir, at the KSL facility on the shores of Lake Victoria.
This new addition complements the existing MV Uhuru I and aims to address the growing demand for cargo transportation in the Lake Victoria region.
The transfer of MV Uhuru II is expected to create numerous job opportunities at the Port and facilitate the transportation of goods to neighboring countries, including Uganda and Tanzania.
The successful construction of MV Uhuru II highlights Kenya Shipyards’ capacity to build, repair, and maintain vessels for both local and regional markets.
It also marks a significant step in revitalizing Kenya’s maritime transport and logistics sector, aligning with the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) of the Kenya Kwanza government.
MV Uhuru II, with a capacity to transport 1,063 metric tonnes of cargo, is designed to carry petroleum oil products, cereals, fertilizers, sugar, and seeds.
This follows the successful rehabilitation of MV Uhuru I, which was reactivated in 2019 after being refurbished by the KDF and now carries up to 1,260 tonnes of cargo.