Kampala — Zain has partnered with Ericsson to install 21 energy efficient sites in Lake Victoria to improve water safety and rescue capability in the lake.

The rescue facilities involve an automated rescue boat fitted with mobile radio communication equipment that coordinates between the lake and the onshore rescue coordination centre. Once an accident occurs on the lake, the victim using their mobile phone alerts the coordination centre and immediately a rescue team is dispatched.

Ericsson has provided the infrastructure while Zain is providing the network. Three of the sites are solar powered.

About 5,000 lives are lost annually due to drowning on Lake Victoria. The initiative by Zain and Ericsson is therefore a boost to the over 200,000 fishermen and 35 million people living along the lake shores.

There are about 70,000 registered boats in Uganda, most of them powered with small engines and fitted with poor safety systems.

The facility will also provide real time information on prices of commodities to fishermen on the lake, access to the Zain Zap money transfer service as well as weather conditions.

"Twenty kilometres into the lake, people can use voice and can get information about prices, weather and other services," said Zain Africa boss Chris Gabriel at the launch of the lake rescue project.

But there are challenges as to how the programme will be sustained beyond 2009.

Zain and Ericsson have provided resources up to the end of this year. They are calling upon the Government to come in and support the project so that it becomes sustainable in the long term.

A public dialogue will be held in September to explore ways of ensuring that the Lake Victoria Rescue Initiative remains on track and funded.

"We will cross the bridge when we get there. But we are calling upon everyone of good will to come and support this initiative," said Elaine Weidman of Ericsson.

The ministry of information and communication technology disclosed at the same function that they are in discussions with the finance ministry to scrap the 18% VAT on mobile phones.

If this materialises, it will further increase access to phones by fishermen who come from some of the poorest communities in Uganda.

"If we do not respond accordingly, those who live near the border will just cross to Tanzania or Kenya and pick up phones from there and we lose the taxes," said minister Aggrey Awori.

Uganda charges the highest taxes on phones and related services. Kenya has since scrapped VAT on mobile phones. Awori wants taxes harmonised across the region.

"In the very near future, probably in the next budget, there will be no 18% VAT," he announced while commissioning the rescue Lake Victoria project.