Africa-Press – Uganda. The Government of Uganda through its agency, Uganda Railways Corporation (URC), has earmarked Shs200 billion towards the rehabilitation of the 382 kilometer Tororo-Gulu meter gauge railway.
The project fully funded by the government is being undertaken by China Road and Bridge Corporation and is expected to have the line that has been in limbo for the last 30 rehabilitated within a period of two years.
The new development was announced by the Minister of Works and Transport Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, during the ground breaking ceremony for the rehabilitation works at Tororo railway station in Tororo municipality.
“The refurbishment is part of the infrastructural improvement program of the government that seeks to meet the government’s long term development strategy as outlined in the National Development Plan in which it aims at increasing the stock and quality of productive infrastructure to support trade, industrialization, exports and efficient urbanization” Gen Katumba said.
He said the rehabilitation is also meant to enable bulk transportation of goods and reduce cost of transport by road, traffic congestion and other associated costs.
Gen Katumba said with the improvement of infrastructure, government anticipates transporting a minimum of 500 metric tons of cargo during the financial year 2025/2026 and that if the line is done faster, it will be able support the oil industry since the country needs to use its oil by 2025.
He disclosed that the government’s focus to construct the standard gauge railway still remains a priority adding that Uganda and Kenya have a communiqué to ensure that the dream materialises.
“The other day I was in Nairobi about the same development but the Kenyan government made assurance that it was still committed to ensure that it extends the same line from Nakuru to Kisumu and finally to Malaba where Uganda will pick from,” he said, adding that they are finalising with the Ministry of Finance to see how to complete compensation of the remaining project affected persons (PAPs).
According to the permanent secretary of Ministry of Works and Transport, Mr Bageya Waiswa, the line is also meant to connect to Gulu Hub which is supposed to act as a designated area for transportation, organization, separation, coordination and distribution of goods for national and international transit on a commercial basis.
He apologized for the delay of rehabilitation of the line but attributed it to the abrupt termination of Sogea, a company that was first contracted to undertake the project.
“It is our desired goal to offload traffic on the road which has posed a high cost to maintenance of the roads as well as loss of lives and goods on transit in case of an accident,” he said.
Tororo Municipality MP, Mr Yeri Apollo Ofwono thanked the government for reinforcing the rehabilitation of the line but appealed to Uganda Railway Corporation to consider introducing passenger trains and not just cargo. He said by doing so, the cost of trade will have been sorted out as it used to be when the railway was active.
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