MV Liemba Returns: Professor Mbarawa Leads First Trials After Major Overall

By Prosper Makene

KIGOMA — The horn of MV Liemba echoed across Lake Tanganyika again over the weekend for the first time in more than eight years, as Minister for Transport Prof. Makame Mbarawa led the first phase of technical trials of the newly rehabilitated vessel.

The moment marked the beginning of what the government is calling "50 years of new voyages" for the 111-year-old ship that has for generations connected Tanzanian communities to each other and to their neighbors in Burundi, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The TSh 34 billion rehabilitation, fully funded by the government, has transformed the historic vessel while preserving its heritage. With testing now underway, officials say MV Liemba will resume commercial operations on September 1st this year.

Minister Mbarawa boarded the ship in Kigoma to witness the start of trials, which he said are being conducted in two phases to ensure the vessel meets both national and international safety standards.

"The first phase of trials was conducted yesterday. This was to test the basic systems after installation of new machinery," Mbarawa told journalists and engineers on board. "The final and more comprehensive phase will take place between August 19 and 21 this year. The objective is to thoroughly test all critical systems before we allow the ship to start carrying passengers and cargo."

"MV Liemba is designed to serve for 50 years," Mbarawa said. "With proper and regular maintenance, it can last for more than 80 years. Today we inspected the quality of all equipment and how the vessel will perform during emergency situations. We cannot compromise on safety."

Once the contractor-led trials are complete, the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) will conduct its own inspection and verification.

"The issue of MV Liemba was one of the matters that troubled us most in Parliament," Mbarawa said. "Members of Parliament from Kigoma, Rukwa and Katavi kept asking: when will Liemba return? Today I can tell the nation: it is complete."

"It will remove the transport burden for residents of Rukwa, Kigoma and Katavi. It will also improve trade with our neighbors. But this is public property. We ask citizens to take care of this ship so it can serve for many years to come," he urged.

The rehabilitation project began in 2024 and is now 97% complete. The government invested TSh 34 billion to overhaul the vessel from hull to bridge.

Erick Hamis, Managing Director of the Tanzania Shipping Company (TASHICO), said the project balanced modernization with preservation.

"This is now a new Liemba," Hamis said. "We have restored the original wooden fittings to maintain the historical character of the ship. At the same time, we have installed new equipment. The generators are new. The engines are new. The electrical systems and navigation equipment are all new."

The rehabilitation was led by Dar-es Salaam Merchant Group (DMG), a 100% Tanzanian company. Its Director, Rayton Kwembe, said the project was a demonstration of local engineering capacity.

"When we were awarded this contract, many people doubted whether a local company could handle a vessel of this history and magnitude," Kwembe said. "Today we have proven that Tanzanians can do it."

Kwembe explained that the scope of work was massive and required precision to avoid damaging the ship’s heritage value.

"The work involved replacing all propulsion machinery, including main engines and generators," he said. "We also completely refurbished all passenger areas. The seats are new, the beds are new, and the toilets and dining area have been modernized. Even the lighting and ventilation systems have been upgraded."

One of the most sensitive parts of the project, Kwembe noted, was restoring the wooden interiors.

"MV Liemba is a historical ship. You cannot just remove everything and replace it with steel," he said. "On the lower deck, there used to be wooden flooring from the original build. We carefully removed the old timber and replaced it with new hardwood, cut and fitted in the same style. So when you walk inside, you still feel the history."

He added that DMG engineers worked closely with maritime historians and TASHICO to ensure every detail matched the original design.

"We did everything while protecting the heritage of MV Liemba," Kwembe said. "The shape, the paint scheme, even the brass fittings on the bridge — we kept them. But underneath, every pipe, every wire, every engine is brand new."

Kwembe said the project also built local capacity. Over 300 Tanzanians were employed during the two-year rehabilitation, including youth from Kigoma who received training in welding, electrical work, and marine carpentry.

"This was not just about repairing a ship," he said. "It was about transferring skills. Today we have Tanzanian engineers who can now do this kind of work without going abroad. That is the biggest gain for the country."

He thanked the government for trusting local contractors and paying on time, which he said enabled DMG to complete the project within the agreed two-year period from 2024 to 2026.

"We are proud that this ship will sail again under the Tanzanian flag, built and rebuilt by Tanzanian hands," Kwembe concluded.

For nearly a decade, the absence of MV Liemba left a major gap in the lake transport system. Traders, farmers and fishermen in the three lake regions say the ship’s return could not have come at a better time.

Musa Tulikubili, a trader and resident of Kigoma, described the hardship.

"When Liemba stopped, life became hard," Tulikubili said. "To take maize or fish to market, we had to use small boats that charge a lot and sometimes capsize. Now with Liemba coming back, we can transport more goods at a lower cost and in safety."

In Rukwa Region, traders who depend on the lake to move goods to Kigoma and onward to Burundi and DRC say they have been waiting for this day.

Rehema Juma, a maize trader from Sumbawanga, said she used to lose half her profits to transport costs.

"We had to hire trucks to Mbeya, then small boats to Kigoma. It took 3 days and cost TSh 200,000 per tonne," she said. "With Liemba, we can load directly from Kalambo and reach Kigoma in one night. That will save us money and time."

She said the return of the ship will also make it easier to bring back building materials and household goods from Kigoma to villages in Rukwa at affordable prices.

In Katavi Region, fishermen in Mpanda and Karema said the ship will revive markets that collapsed after Liemba was withdrawn.

"Before, we used to send dried fish to Kigoma and Bujumbura every week on Liemba," said Ally Magesa, a fisherman from Karema. "When it stopped, middlemen started using small engines and they dictated prices. We were selling at a loss."

Magesa said with Liemba back, cooperatives can now bulk their catch and negotiate better prices.

"This ship is not just transport. It is our market. It connects us to buyers in three countries," he said. "Our children who left to look for jobs in town may now come back because business will return."

Women traders in Katavi also said passenger fares on small boats had become unaffordable for patients and students.

"To take a sick person to Kigoma hospital, we paid TSh 80,000 in a small boat and it was risky," said Sophia Mwakalinga from Nsimbo. "Liemba was charging an affordable fare and it was safe. We are praying it resumes soon so our people can access services."

Other residents said the ship will reconnect families that have been separated due to lack of reliable transport across the lake.

Once in full service, MV Liemba will have the capacity to carry approximately 600 passengers and 200 tonnes of cargo per trip.

Engineers say new radar, GPS, and radio communication systems have been installed to meet international safety standards. Life jackets, lifeboats, and firefighting equipment have all been replaced.

The ship will operate scheduled routes to Bujumbura in Burundi, Kalemie and Uvira in DRC, and Mpulungu in Zambia, restoring a trade corridor that has been dormant for years.

Government officials say the revival of MV Liemba is part of a bigger plan to position Kigoma as a trade and logistics hub for the region.

During his visit, Minister Mbarawa also inspected ongoing expansion works at Kigoma Port, including a new passenger berthing area and a shipyard being constructed on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

"The government is committed to opening up Kigoma Region and turning it into a center of business," Mbarawa said. "We want to take advantage of our location next to three neighboring countries. With a working port, a working shipyard, and a working ship, Kigoma can become the gateway for trade in this part of Africa."

With the first phase of trials complete, all eyes are now on the final tests scheduled for August 19-21. If those are successful and TASAC gives approval, MV Liemba will begin scheduled passenger and cargo service on September 1st.

As Minister Mbarawa put it while standing on the deck of the newly refurbished vessel: "This is not just the relaunch of a ship. This is the relaunch of a region. This is the relaunch of hope for the people of Lake Tanganyika."

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