Laropi Ferry to close for two weeks for 'urgent repairs

Travellers between Moyo and Adjumani districts will face longer journeys after the Ministry of Works and Transport announced a two-week suspension of MV Laropi Ferry services to allow urgent repairs on the vessel’s steel structure.

Travellers between Moyo and Adjumani districts will have to endure longer journeys after the Ministry of Works and Transport announced a two-week suspension of MV Laropi Ferry services for urgent repairs, renewing concerns over the region’s continued dependence on a vessel that frequently breaks down.

According to a public notice issued by the Ministry on August 3, ferry operations along the Laropi–Omi route will be suspended from August 10 to August 25, 2026, to allow engineers repair the ferry’s steel structure.

The ministry said the works are intended to improve the reliability and safety of the vessel as a temporary intervention ahead of a planned comprehensive repair and rehabilitation programme.

"The Ministry is scheduled to undertake repairs of the steel structure for MV Laropi Ferry aimed at improving the reliability and safety of the ferry as a stop-gap measure ahead of the planned comprehensive repair and rehabilitation," the notice reads.

Services are expected to resume on August 26, 2026, after completion of the maintenance works.

During the closure, motorists, passengers and cargo transporters have been advised to use alternative routes through Kampala–Gulu–Adjumani–Obongi Ferry–Moyo or Kampala–Pakwach Bridge–Nebbi–Arua–Koboko–Yumbe–Moyo, and vice versa.

The temporary suspension is expected to affect thousands of travellers who rely on the ferry as the shortest connection between Moyo and Adjumani districts.

The latest closure comes amid growing frustration over repeated mechanical failures of the vessel, which leaders and residents say occur several times a year and continue to disrupt trade, public transport and access to essential services.

Last month, ferry services were disrupted after the vessel developed a mechanical fault shortly after routine maintenance. The breakdown left passengers stranded at Laropi Landing Site in Moyo and Omi Landing Site in Adjumani before engineers restored operations.

The ferry had undergone maintenance between midday and 5pm on July 10, but developed mechanical problems at about 9pm after briefly returning to service.

Moyo District Woman Member of Parliament Bernadette Chandia Kodili said the recurring breakdowns require a lasting solution.

"I will engage officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport to establish the cause of these recurring breakdowns and raise the matter on the floor of Parliament so that the relevant stakeholders can address it," Chandia said.

MV Laropi Ferry remains a critical transport link in the Ma’di Sub-region, connecting Moyo and Adjumani while serving travellers heading to Kampala, West Nile and neighbouring South Sudan.

The vessel carries more than 2,000 passengers, over 150 vehicles and about 200 motorcycles daily, supporting trade, humanitarian operations and movement of goods and services across the River Nile.

The continued disruptions have also intensified calls for the construction of the long-awaited Laropi Bridge, which government says will provide a permanent solution to the challenges caused by ferry dependence.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has already given Uganda clearance to begin procurement of a contractor for the bridge project after issuing a No Objection approval to the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The project will be funded through an AfDB loan of about $15.22 million (Shs54 billion).

Ministry spokesperson Allan Ssempebwa previously said the clearance allows government to invite companies to bid for the project before selecting a contractor.

"We have now received a No Objection from the funder to proceed with the procurement process. The next step is to invite companies to submit bids for the construction of the Laropi Bridge," Ssempebwa said.

The proposed bridge is expected to stretch about one kilometre across the River Nile and will be constructed alongside the upgrading of the 39.3-kilometre Laropi–Moyo–Afoji road.

The project will be implemented under a design-and-build arrangement, where the successful contractor will handle both the design and construction works.

Residents and leaders in Moyo and Adjumani have welcomed progress on the bridge project but continue to call for speedier implementation, arguing that every ferry breakdown exposes the vulnerability of a region whose transport network depends on a single ageing vessel.

For now, however, travellers will continue relying on MV Laropi as they await completion of the bridge that is expected to permanently change movement across the River Nile.