In a commendable display of statesmanship, President William Ruto lauded his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, on Monday, October 09, during the commissioning of the newly-constructed MV Uhuru II vessel at Kenya Shipyards Limited in Kisumu County.
President Ruto, who served as the deputy president under Kenyatta, took the opportunity to express his admiration for Kenyatta’s foresight in initiating the shipyard’s refurbishment and the construction of the new vessel.
“I must congratulate my predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta, for his foresight in coming up with this shipyard refurbishment,” Ruto stated, acknowledging Kenyatta’s visionary approach.
Reflecting on their past visit to Kisumu, Ruto remarked, “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, commissioned in August 2022, was introduced to complement its predecessor, MV Uhuru I, which had been constructed back in 1966.
During the vessel’s commissioning, President Kenyatta had personally visited Kisumu Port, overseeing the floatation of the refurbished ship and the official commissioning of the shipyard.
First-ever locally constructed ship
Notably, MV Uhuru II was a collaborative project between the Kenya Defence Forces and Dutch firm Damen Shipyards, marking the first-ever locally constructed ship.
“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,” President Ruto expressed his admiration on Monday.
He went on to characterize the project as a testament to the capabilities of Kenyan shipyards in building, repairing, and maintaining ships for local, regional, and international operators.
According to the president, Kenya Shipyards Limited has also secured contracts to maintain ships for various organizations, including 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 boasts a capacity of 1,800 tonnes, while MV Uhuru I has a capacity of 1,260 tonnes, collectively enhancing the vessel capacity at the Kisumu port to over 3,060 tonnes.
