The Kaazi Search and Rescue (SAR) Maritime Centre, located on the shores of Lake Victoria at Kaazi, has been officially completed.
This state-of-the-art facility represents a significant milestone in strengthening Uganda’s maritime safety network, enhancing search, rescue, and coordination efforts across the region.
The centre is equipped with modern amenities, including a fully operational clinic to provide medical support for emergencies, as well as offices dedicated to the inspection, registration, and licensing of vessels.
These services aim to ensure safer transport across Lake Victoria, a vital waterway for communities, trade, and transportation in the region. Additionally, the facility houses advanced communication systems and a coordination hub to streamline maritime operations and improve response times during emergencies.
Fully equipped rescue boats are stationed at the centre, ready for rapid deployment in response to distress calls.
These vessels are fitted with cutting-edge navigation and rescue equipment, enabling swift and effective interventions to safeguard lives and property on Lake Victoria.
The centre also serves as a training hub for maritime personnel, offering programmes to enhance skills in search and rescue operations, vessel safety standards, and emergency response protocols.
Waiswa Bageya, the Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Works and Transport, said the ecntre is the fourth of nine planned facilities aimed at bolstering Uganda’s maritime infrastructure. He highlighted acknowledged the challenges in the inspection, regulation, and licensing of vessels, noting that the new centre will play a crucial role in addressing these issues.
“The completion of this facility marks a significant step forward in ensuring safer and more reliable maritime transport. We are committed to overcoming challenges related to vessel regulation and enhancing safety standards across Lake Victoria,” he said.
The centre is expected to benefit local communities, fishermen, traders, and passengers who rely on Lake Victoria for their livelihoods and transportation needs.
