Tanzania's MV Magogoni built at a cost of Sh8 billion, to be repaired at Sh 7.5 billion

Media/news company

Mwananchi Communications Limited

Tanzania's MV Magogoni ferry, which ferries passengers in Dar es Salaam at the Kigamboni waterway, is set for major repairs in Mombasa, Kenya.

The German-built vessel which was manufactured in 2008 at a cost of Sh8 billion will now be repaired in Kenya for Sh7.5 billion.

The $3.2 million (about Sh7.5 billion) tender for major rehabilitation of the Mv Magogoni ferry came under scrutiny in 2022 and was eventually nullified by the Public Procurement Appeals Authority (PPAA).

The authority ordered a fresh evaluation of tenders after discovering that the Tanzania Electrical, Mechanical, and Electronics Services Agency (Temesa) had flawed rules during the evaluation of bidders.

The decision came following an appeal by a Tanzanian shipbuilding company, Songoro Marine, based in Mwanza, that had been disqualified from the lucrative deal over alleged failure to meet requirements set in the tender document.

The ferry's manager, Eng. Lukombe King'ombe, addressed the concerns about what some say is an exorbitant fee for repairs. "The value of Sh8 billion in 2008 is not the same today," he explained.

He said that the ferry is supposed to last for 30 years, and it has been 15 years since its manufacture date. "We cannot abandon it and buy a new one," he said.

Tanzania's MV Magogoni built at a cost of Sh8 billion, to be repaired at Sh 7.5 billion

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