By Finley Brighton Munyembero

Renowned musician Annie Matumbi has called on authorities to act swiftly to replace the MV Ilala saying the vessel is outdated and in a state of disrepair.

 The vessel is the only affordable means of transport for people of Likoma Island and other areas along Lake Malawi that are not easily accessible by road.

In a video circulating on social media, Matumbi is seen criticizing the government for its lack of efforts to replace the vessel with a modern ship with a larger passenger capacity.

In August this year the Malawi Shipping Company (MSC) suspended the vessel from the waters as it needed servicing.

The Ilala was built in 1949 and began operating in 1951. The ship, which is 50 meters long and weighs 400 tonnes, has a total passenger capacity of 450.