PM to officially launch  120.6bn/- MV Mwanza ferry

MWANZA: THE Minister for Transport, Professor Makame Mbarawa, has confirmed that the Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba will officially launch the new MV Mwanza ferry with a capacity to carry 1,200 passengers, 400 tonnes of cargo, 20 small vehicles, and three large vehicles.

Professor Mbarawa made this announcement today, January 22, 2026, while speaking to media outlets in Mwanza.

He said the completion of the ferry is not only a fulfillment of a government promise but also a long-held dream of the residents of the Lake Zone. He further explained that the construction of the ferry has cost a total of 120.56bn/-.

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The official launch of the MV. New Mwanza ferry is scheduled to take place tomorrow, January 23, 2026, and is expected to bring significant benefits to maritime transport on Lake Victoria. Additionally, it will enhance economic activities for the people living in the surrounding regions of the lake. Professor Mbarawa emphasized that the ferry has been specifically built to improve the transportation of passengers, cargo, and vehicles both within and outside the country.

On the other hand, the Chief Executive Officer of the Tanzania Shipping Company (TASHICO), Mr. Eric Hamissi, mentioned that the MV. New Mwanza ferry will offer passenger and cargo transportation services from Mwanza to Bukoba via Kemondo, and later it will begin international trips to Uganda and Kisumu, Kenya.

He also added that trial voyages, which began in March 2025, have successfully transported 7,028 passengers and about 673 tons of cargo. This demonstrates that the MV. New Mwanza ferry is ready to start full service immediately after the official launch.