Mwalimu-G
Elder Lister
Ruto Praises Kenyatta As He Launches MV Uhuru II In Kisumu
By Dennis Musau Published on: October 09, 2023 04:44 (EAT)
MV Uhuru II, the first-ever ship constructed in Kenya. | FILE/Kenya Shipyards Limited
President William Ruto on Monday praised his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta as he commissioned the newly-built MV Uhuru II vessel at Kenya Shipyards Limited in Kisumu County.
The former deputy president said his then-boss exhibited immense foresight by introducing a refurbishment of the shipyard as well as the construction of a new vessel.
“I must congratulate my predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta for his foresight in coming up with this shipyard refurbishment,” Ruto said.
“One morning he asked me for us to visit Kisumu and see what the military could do, when we came here it was a heap of dirt, wreckage and old buildings.”
MV Uhuru II was commissioned in August 2022 to complement the old MV Uhuru I built in 1966. President Kenyatta at the time visited the Kisumu Port to oversee the floatation of the newly refurbished ship while also commissioning the shipyard.
The vessel was built by the Kenya Defence Forces in partnership with Dutch firm Damen Shipyards and is the first ship to be constructed locally.
“To see what we are seeing here is phenomenal and I must say both President Kenyatta and the military’s leadership, with a lot of foresight drove this program to where we are today,” Ruto said on Monday.
He termed the project a demonstration of Kenyan shipyards’ ability to build, repair and maintain ships for local, regional and international operators.
According to the president, Kenya Shipyards Limited has also been contracted to maintain ships by, among others, the Kenya Coast Guard Services, Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Marine Fisheries Institute and private operators in the Indian Ocean.
MV Uhuru II has a capacity of 1,800 tonnes while MV Uhuru I has a capacity of 1,260 tonnes, bringing the vessel capacity at the Kisumu port to over 3,060 tonnes.
By Dennis Musau Published on: October 09, 2023 04:44 (EAT)
MV Uhuru II, the first-ever ship constructed in Kenya. | FILE/Kenya Shipyards Limited
President William Ruto on Monday praised his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta as he commissioned the newly-built MV Uhuru II vessel at Kenya Shipyards Limited in Kisumu County.
The former deputy president said his then-boss exhibited immense foresight by introducing a refurbishment of the shipyard as well as the construction of a new vessel.
“I must congratulate my predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta for his foresight in coming up with this shipyard refurbishment,” Ruto said.
“One morning he asked me for us to visit Kisumu and see what the military could do, when we came here it was a heap of dirt, wreckage and old buildings.”
MV Uhuru II was commissioned in August 2022 to complement the old MV Uhuru I built in 1966. President Kenyatta at the time visited the Kisumu Port to oversee the floatation of the newly refurbished ship while also commissioning the shipyard.
The vessel was built by the Kenya Defence Forces in partnership with Dutch firm Damen Shipyards and is the first ship to be constructed locally.
“To see what we are seeing here is phenomenal and I must say both President Kenyatta and the military’s leadership, with a lot of foresight drove this program to where we are today,” Ruto said on Monday.
He termed the project a demonstration of Kenyan shipyards’ ability to build, repair and maintain ships for local, regional and international operators.
According to the president, Kenya Shipyards Limited has also been contracted to maintain ships by, among others, the Kenya Coast Guard Services, Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Marine Fisheries Institute and private operators in the Indian Ocean.
MV Uhuru II has a capacity of 1,800 tonnes while MV Uhuru I has a capacity of 1,260 tonnes, bringing the vessel capacity at the Kisumu port to over 3,060 tonnes.
