MV Uhuru

MV Uhuru is a Lake Victoria ferry in East Africa. She is a Kenya Railways Corporation train ferry that operated between Jinja, Mwanza, Musoma and Kisumu.[1] Uhuru means "freedom" in Swahili.

MV Uhuru anchored at Kisumu Docks
History
Name: MV Uhuru
Port of registry: Kisumu
Route: on Lake Victoria between Jinja, Mwanza, Musoma & Kisumu[1]
Builder: Yarrow Shipbuilders[1]
Yard number: 2243[1]
Launched: 1965
In service: 1966[2]
General characteristics
Type: train ferry[1]
Tonnage: 1,180[2]
Length: over 300 ft (91 m)[2]
Draught: 8 ft 8 in (2.64 m)[2]
Installed power: 800 hp (600 kW) V-8[2] diesel[1]
Propulsion: screw[1]

Uhuru and her sister ship MV Umoja were built in 1965 by Yarrow Shipbuilders in Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland,[1][3] and entered service in 1966.[2] At over 300 ft (91 m), they were the longest vessels on any of the East African lakes.[2]

The two vessels were owned and operated by the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation (EARH) until 1977, when EARH was divided between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Uhuru was transferred to the new Kenya Railways Corporation[1] and Umoja was transferred to the new Tanzania Railways Corporation.[3]

Uhuru has been suspended from service since 2007.[4]

References
  1. Cameron, Stuart. "Uhuru (1965)". Clyde-built Database. Archived from the original on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 22 May 2011.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  2. Amin, Mohamed; Willetts, Duncan; Matheson, Alastair (1986). Railway Across The Equator:The Story of the East African Line. London: The Bodley Head. pp. 140–143. ISBN 0-370-30774-7.
  3. Cameron, Stuart (2004). "Umoja". Clyde-built Database. Archived from the original on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2011.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  4. "Counting Losses". The Standard. 4 October 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2011.


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