Plan includes retiring the 74-year-old MV Ilala and rehabilitating key lake ports
By Edwin Mauluka
The Malawi government says it is taking steps to revamp water transport on Lake Malawi to improve the movement of people and goods, especially for communities along the lakeshore and on the islands.
Minister of Transport and Public Works Feston Kaupa said unreliable transport on the lake has contributed to numerous deaths, particularly among private boat operators serving routes between Nkhata Bay and the islands of Likoma and Chizumulu.
Kaupa noted that accidents continue to rise despite public awareness about the dangers of traveling on unlicensed and overloaded boats.
“The solution is to have a minimum of two ferries to provide safe passage for people on the islands and the northern lake shore, and another to connect Sengabay to Makanjira,” he said. “These will complement the replacement for MV Illala, which will continue the weekly Monkey Bay–Chilumba voyage.”
The minister reaffirmed government plans to retire the aging MV Ilala, built in Glasgow in 1949. “This vessel is now about 74 years old and has outlived its lifespan. Replacing MV Illala remains a top priority,” he said.
He said the government is considering two options for acquiring the new vessel: partnering with interested investors or securing a loan to purchase a modern ferry estimated at US$40 million.
In the meantime, MV Ilala will remain operational as the ministry explores a new business model to guide future concessions for inland ports and shipping services.
Kaupa added that several port and rail projects are planned or underway. The Likoma Island port project, along with the Nkhata Bay and Chipoka ports, has been earmarked for rehabilitation.
“Once all these efforts are complete, they will support the shift of cargo from road to rail and inland water transport, significantly reducing transport costs and helping preserve road infrastructure,” he said.
Turning to the road sector, Kaupa said the new administration will resume the remittance of fuel levy funds from the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) to the Roads Fund Administration to support road improvements and rehabilitation.
He pledged that the government will rehabilitate and construct key roads, including the Thabwa–Chikwawa–Bangula road and the Mangochi–Makanjira road.
Kaupa also assured that roads under the jurisdiction of district councils will benefit from the newly reformed MWK5 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF), aligning with the DPP manifesto’s emphasis on decentralizing development to constituencies.
