What Crew Members Say About Mapinduzi-Ii

A NUMBER of people in Zanzibar have expressed their joy on the arrival of a new passenger/cargo ship christened ‘Mapinduzi II’ which docked off Zanzibar main port from South Korea. The fact that the vessel was almost six months behind the scheduled did not water down their joy. It was previously expected to arrive on June 25 this year. Mr Omar Yussuf Mzee, the Minister of Finance led a considerable number of people who turned up at the Malindi Port and expressed their joy as the new ship docked. The official inauguration of the vessel is planned for next Tuesday (Dec 08), and President Ali Mohamed Shein is expected to lead the ceremony. “We are happy to have the ship,” Ms Mwanajuma Khamis, a frequent traveller to Pemba Island said after the eye-catching ship arrived in Zanzibar. Deputy Minister Mr Issa Haji Ussi and Dr Juma Malik Akili, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Communication also joined other government officials and journalists to welcome the new ship off Malindi Port. He dismissed as baseless and mere rumours that the ship was a second-hand vessel, emphasizing that it was a brand new ship for Zanzibaris as promised by the government. The passenger/cargo ship with a capacity of carrying 1,200 passengers and 200 tonnes of cargo is a big relief to the people of Zanzibar after two big fatal marine accidents in 2011 and 2012, which prompted the government to purchase the new ship. http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/home-news/44827-new-passenger-ship-delights-isles-residents