Standard Gauge for Uganda

[John Ashworth]

STANDARD GAUGE FOR UGANDA

Posted on 18 June 2010 by Railways Africa Editor

It has been officially announced in Kampala, East African Business Week reports, that the Ugandan government intends to build a standard gauge railway to connect the capital and its border at Malaba, where it joins the Kenya Railways.

It has called for consultants to undertake the preliminary engineering design – a process expected to take “at least a year before building can start”. The proposed new line is to join that envisaged by Kenya, running from Mombasa via Nairobi to Malaba. Both are to be to 1,435mm gauge, which the paper notes is “the preferred mode for 80% of the world’s railways.”

Business Week continues: “The new line is expected to be faster with industry sources quoting speeds up to 120km/h on freight trains and 160km/h on passenger trains. The current line has failed to satisfy the region’s mass transport needs with some experts saying it is the main cause of the congestion at Mombasa Port.

“ It is thought the new gauge will be far more in line with current trends and needs and would relieve the roads particularly the northern corridor that take up much money in maintenance due to their taking over 80% of the freight traffic.

“The Uganda and Kenya railway services have been historically linked having been part of the East African Railways and Harbours which served all the three British territories.

“They however fell into disrepair following the break up of the East African Community and were characterised by a lack of maintenance, no investment and poor coordination between the owners, so of course nobody could invest in them.

“Both railways were concessioned together to Rift Valley Railways (RVR) in 2006. RVR however failed to deliver. They had management problems and failed to get support from the international financial institutions that had promised funding.

“[Lead investor Sheltam] was finally bought out by Egyptian Citadel Capital. The international financial intuitions have so far reacted favourably to Citadel promising to release the blocked funds. Citadel has promised to inject over $US200m into the railways though it has so not so far given the relevant details.”