Teso leaders: Changing BKK ferry route will be cheating Kaberamaido

Local leaders from Kaberamaido have asked the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga to intervene in the alleged plans to change the route of the BKK ferry.  

Following a presidential pledge in 2015 to revive the ferry, it was agreed that the docking port for the ferry would be at Okile landing site in Kobulubulu Sub-County.  

The district leadership of Kaberamaido however, allege that there are plans to change the docking port to Akampala landing site in Ochero Sub-County.

The district leadership led by Members of Parliament, Hpn Veronica Eragu (NRM, Kaberamaido County) and Clement Ongalo-Obote (NRM, Kalaki County) petitioned Kadaga on 13 August 2019, calling for halting of plans to change the docking port.

According to the leaders, Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is conniving with some people of Akampala to change the docking port, in disregard of a presidential pledge.  

The Secretary, Finance Planning and Administration of Kaberamaido, Jane Judith Ayudo said that technical people from UNRA have occasionally visited Akampala landing site from Bukungu to Kagwara.

“We were informed that they have also sketched the route for the said ferry, the docking point, the parking space and a rented house for that purpose at Akampala,” said Ayudo.

Ayudo said that changing the docking port would be a disservice, arguing that Okille was selected because it is centrally located to all sub counties of the two districts of Kalaki and Kaberamaido.

“The peripheral of Akampala landing site for the BKK ferry is some 40km from Namasale landing site and this renders it impractical,” she said.

She added that, ‘given the fact that Akampala is the last landing site in the last village of Kaberamaido district bordering Amolatar district that already has two MV ferries and Namasale’.

Kadaga said she would ask the Minister of Works and Transport to provide clarification on the routes of the ferry.

“I will ask the Minister to give an answer during plenary sitting on Wednesday next week. This issue of reviving the ferry has been going on for so long. It should be resolved soon because we need the ferry,” Kadaga said.

The Okille landing site was a docking port for the Stanley and Speke Steamers which were serving Busoga and Buganda The dock became redundant for over 40 years.