Mr. A.D.H. Leishman writes from Zambia: “On page 2 of the January 1977 issue of the Bulletin … a statement is made about the ss Liemba in the Transport paragraph. Far from being ‘unserviceable’, the mv Liemba is scheduled to recommence scheduled services on Luke Tanganyika in September of this year. This information I have direct from the Regional Manager in Dar es Salaam in answer to an enquiry I made in connection with the preparation of the Development Plan for Mpulungu Port which the Department of Town & Country Planning here is undertaking. The Regional Manager stated that the intention was to run the Liemba to a schedule which would bring Mpulungu into weekly connection with East Africa instead of the previous twice monthly service prior to 1972. He also asked for an assurance that the harbour at Mpulungu would be dredged by September to allow Liemba once again to berth at the quayside, an assurance which the Zambian Government may be unable, regrettably, to give unless an extremely rapid decision is taken to effect the necessary operations. But there again, Liemba may not be ready by September!

“You will notice I said MV Liemba; the Regional Manager confirmed that new diesel engines had been installed in the vessel, as was reported in the Tanzanian press last year (or was it 1975?).”