MV Uhuru vessels move 1,500 tonnes weekly across Lake Victoria
Regular sailings from Kisumu Port transport bulk cargo including steel, cement and fuel, strengthening trade links between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Weekly sailings by the MV Uhuru I and II vessels from Kisumu Port are supporting the movement of bulk cargo across Lake Victoria, providing a steady logistics link between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
According to Kenya Railways, the vessels transport a range of commodities including steel, sugar, cement, fuel and grain. Each trip carries up to 1,500 tonnes, contributing to regional trade flows and supporting industrial supply chains.
Operating on Lake Victoria routes, the vessels connect inland markets and facilitate cross-border cargo movement within East Africa. The shipments include both industrial inputs and essential goods required by businesses and communities across the region.
The MV Uhuru vessels offer approximately 1,800 square metres of deck space and are designed to handle bulk cargo efficiently. Their operations provide an alternative to road transport, particularly for heavy and high-volume shipments.
Lake transport remains a component of multimodal logistics in East Africa, with inland waterways complementing rail and road networks. The service from Kisumu supports trade connectivity within the region, linking production centres with markets in neighbouring countries.
Kenya Railways said the vessels operate on a regular schedule, contributing to predictable cargo movement across the lake. The service is positioned as a cost-effective and consistent option for bulk cargo transport.
Earlier thi week, the railways department posted on social media that how the Kenya Urban Mobility Improvement Project (KUMIP), a World Bank initiative, is aimed at addressing challenges facing urban mobility systems within the Nairobi Metropolitan Area.
As part of the project, stakeholders conducted a visit to the Nairobi Central Workshop and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) workshops to observe maintenance and repair activities. The visit sought to provide a better understanding of railway operations, assess current maintenance capacity and service delivery, and identify areas where modernisation and efficiency improvements can be supported.
The project is expected to enhance urban mobility, reduce congestion and support sustainable growth across the Nairobi Metropolitan Area.
The continued deployment of the MV Uhuru I and II, alongside ongoing rail and urban mobility initiatives, reflects broader efforts to strengthen transport infrastructure and improve logistics efficiency across Kenya and the wider East African region.