The construction of Nkombo Boat II, a ferry expected to improve transport between Rusizi and Rubavu towns, on Lake Kivu, is at an advanced stage – 80 percent, according to the engineer leading the project. According to Eng Alain Munyaburanga, the Managing Director of Afrinest Engineering, a shipbuilding company constructing the boat, it will be a very good and spacious ferry capable of carrying six cars and able to do the journey from Rusizi to Rubavu towns in four hours. ALSO READ: RPF promises to construct modern ports on Lake Kivu The construction of Nkombo Boat II, with a total cost of US$2.7 million, is set to be concluded by the end of the year, as Munyaburanga said. “There are some materials that we are waiting for, but the boat has to be fully completed no later than this year,” he said. Initially scheduled for completion in April 2019, as stated in the Auditor General's report on State Finances for the year ended June 30, 2022, the project faced persistent delays. At the time of the audit in October 2022, the boat's supply contract execution was only 56% complete, causing a delay of over three years. The report warned that the project's anticipated benefits would be postponed if urgent action was not taken. However, during the budget hearing for the 2023/2024 fiscal year held on May 8, Imena Munyampenda, the Director General of RTDA, reported that the boat's engine had already been shipped into the country, and progress was being made. Nkombo residents from the island on Lake Kivu are the most likely to benefit from the modern ferry, as it will connect them to the outside world. Lambert Dushimimana, the Governor of Western Province, told The New Times that there are numerous advantages linked to Nkombo Boat II. “There are a lot of benefits from having such improved water transport on Lake Kivu. The boat will improve the movement of people and goods on Lake Kivu for the community nearby,” he stated. Nkombo Boat II is set to be the largest boat on Lake Kivu. It will have the capacity to accommodate 150 passengers, carry six vehicles and 10 tonnes of cargo, and travel at a speed of 23 knots (approximately 42.6 kilometres per hour), according to the Ministry of Infrastructure. It is expected to connect Nkombo Island and other sectors of Rusizi District, including, Nkanka, Gihundwe, and Kamembe, and Nyamasheke, Karongi, and Rubavu districts.
