Investors set up floating restaurant on L Victoria

A new floating restaurant has been set up in Kisumu as savvy investors seek to reap from tourists to Lake Victoria.

The restaurant, aboard a ship, will be commissioned in December.

The ship, MV Kipepeo, has a capacity of 200 passengers and will be used for excursions to attractive sites within the lake. Mbita Ferries, the company which owns the restaurant, runs transport between Lake Victoria’s islands.

Mbita Ferries finance director Donald Oluoch said that riding on the ship will cost one Sh300.

A package that includes travelling on the ship and meals will cost Sh3,000 per couple. Student groups will pay Sh10,000 per excursion. The vessel will have a fully stocked bar for revellers keen on watching magnificent views, including the sunset, from outboard balconies.

The ship is fitted with television sets and toilets, among other facilities.

“We will schedule trips to Ndere Island National Park for both domestic and international tourists. A client can choose to hold meetings aboard the ship as well as tour the smaller islands in the lake,” he said. “The licensing process is being pursued with the Kenya Maritime Authority after which we will host clients who intend to use the ship for corporate meetings, bonding sessions, weddings and dinners.”

The ship was operating in Mwanza, Tanzania, and stalled for six years before Mbita Ferries bought it.

Demand for rare treats

Mr Edward Ted Odero, the managing director of Tidemaritime Consultants Ltd — the company that sourced the ship — said that rising demand for rare treats was the motive behind the purchase.

“We saw the worth of the vessel,” Mr Odero said. Lake Victoria has not been fully exploited using water transport because of poorly maintained ports which block ships from landing, he said. “We are still doing short pilot excursions involving local tourists flowing into Kisumu. These consist mostly of students,” Mr Odero said.

Mbita Ferries also owns two boats; Lake Express I and Lake Express II, which can accommodate 97 people each.

The boats will be used to transport people and goods within the lake. Mr Odero said that though capital intensive, investing in boats is rewarding because of shortage of the vessels on the Kenyan side.

“We do not regret buying the vessels, we are in the business of earning from tourism as well as enabling people to enjoy the serenity of the lake,” he said. Places targeted for excursions include islands near Mbita, Homa Bay, Asembo Bay and Kendu Bay.

More staff, including hostesses and tour guides, will be recruited before the launch of the ship, he said.