Uganda Standard Gauge Railway

Last updated

Uganda Standard Gauge Railway
Mombasa - Nairobi metre gauge railway outside Voi.jpg
The guard rails seen on the right hand side of the picture are of the newer Standard-gauge railway (SGR) line that runs parallel to the old railway line all the way from Mombasa to Nairobi
Overview
StatusPlanned
Termini
Service
Type Heavy rail
Operator(s) Uganda Railways Corporation
History
Opened2025 (Expected)
Technical
Line length1,724 km (1,071 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The Uganda Standard Gauge Railway is a planned railway system linking the country to the neighboring countries of Kenya, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, as part of the East African Railway Master Plan. The new standard-gauge railway (SGR) is intended to replace the old, inefficient metre-gauge railway system. The entire 1,724 kilometres (1,071 mi) SGR in Uganda will cost an estimated $12.8 billion. [1]

Contents

Overview

This 1435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) railway line is intended to ease the transfer of goods between the port of Mombasa and the Ugandan capital of Kampala, and subsequently to Kigali in Rwanda, and to Beni in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to Nimule and Juba in South Sudan. Goods would travel from Mombasa along the Kenya Standard Gauge Railway to Malaba, at the border with Uganda, and transfer onto this railway system. [2]

In April 2017, preliminary estimates for the entire Uganda SGR Project were quoted at USh 45.6 trillion (approximately US$12.8 billion). [3]

In March 2019, during a state visit to Kenya, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and his host, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, jointly publicly committed to extend the Kenyan Standard Gauge Railway to Uganda. Completing the critical missing link to the Kenyan SGR would then unlock the funding for Uganda’s Malaba–Kampala line. [4] As of October 2023, the Naivasha–Malaba section of Kenya's SGR has not been constructed.

Location

The railway system would consist of four major sections:

Malaba–Kampala Section

Also referred to as the Eastern Line, this section will stretch from the border with Kenya at Malaba, through Tororo and Jinja, to end at Kampala. The distance of this section is approximately 219 kilometres (136 mi). [5] The entire Malaba–Kampala section, measuring 273 kilometres (170 mi) with associated train stations and railway yards, is budgeted to cost US$2.3 billion. [6] Once funding is secured, the construction of the Eastern Line is expected to last 42 months. [7]

Tororo–Gulu Section

Also referred to as the Northern Line, this section will extend from Tororo, through Mbale and Lira to Gulu, a distance of approximately 367 kilometres (228 mi). [8] From Gulu, one spur will continue north to Elegu and on to Nimule and Juba in South Sudan. The section in Uganda measures approximately 106 kilometres (66 mi). [9] Another extension stretches from Gulu southwestwards through Pakwach to end at Goli at the Border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a distance of approximately 187 kilometres (116 mi). [10]

Kampala–Mpondwe Section

This is referred to as the Western Line. It will start in Kampala and pass through Bihanga in Ibanda District, continuing on to Mpondwe at the border with DR Congo, a distance of about 430 kilometres (267 mi). [11]

Bihanga–Mirama Hills Section

This is also referred to as the Southwestern Line. It will stretch from Bihanga through Ibanda and Mbarara to end at Mirama Hills, at the border with Rwanda, a distance of about 191 kilometres (119 mi). [12]

Developments

The construction was expected to be financed by the government of Uganda, using borrowed money from the Exim Bank of China. However, the lender has been unwilling to approve the loan until Kenya finalizes the funding arrangement for the Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba section of its SGR. [13]

In January 2023, the Ugandan government terminated the contract that it had signed with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to build the Kampala–Malaba section of the Ugandan SGR, on account of "failure to execute" for eight consecutive years. [14]

In May 2023, the government identified Yapı Merkezi Group from Turkey as the new engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor. Funding is expected to be sourced from European banks. Works are expected to commence in 2024 starting with the 273 kilometres (170 mi) Kampala–Malaba section. [15] The funding bank was later identified as Standard Chartered Plc of the United Kingdom. [16]

In July 2023, the Ugandan and Kenyan cabinet ministers of transportation met in Mombasa. The communique issued at the end of the two-day consultations announced that going forward, the two countries will jointly explore funding sourcing for the Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba portion of the Kenya Standard Gauge Railway. [17] Together, the two countries are seeking at least $6 billion in new funding for their SGR projects from financiers in Europe and the Middle East. [15]

In February 2024, both countries reaffirmed their commitments to build the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba section in Kenya and the Malaba-Kampala section in Uganda, starting in 2024. The Ugandan government has contracted the Yapı Merkezi Group from Turkey to build the 273 kilometres (170 mi) section between Malaba and Kampala at a contract price of US$2.9 billion. Work was expected to start in August 2024. [18] As of August 2024, the Uganda government was working on finalizing the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) documentation and obtaining approvals from relevant government bureaucrats. The construction distance from Malaba to Kampala is now reported as 332 kilometres (206 mi). Construction is expected to begin in H2 2024. [19]

On 14 October 2024, the government of Uganda signed the EPC documents with Yapı Merkezi to build the Malaba-Kampala section of the Uganda Standard Gauge Railway at a contract price of €2.7 billion (approx. USh10.8 trillion). Construction is expected to take four years and conclude in H2 2028. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Uganda</span>

Transport in Uganda refers to the transportation structure in Uganda. The country has an extensive network of paved and unpaved roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tororo</span> Town in Eastern Region of Uganda, Uganda

Tororo is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Tororo District.

Malaba, Kenya is a town in Teso North Sub-County, Busia County, on Kenya's western border with Uganda. It sits across the Malaba River, which forms the international border from Malaba, Uganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenya Railways Corporation</span> State-owned Kenyan railway company

Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC), also Kenya Railways (KR) is the national railway of Kenya. Established in 1977, KR is a state corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uganda Railways Corporation</span> State-owned railway company of Uganda

The Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) is the parastatal railway of Uganda. It was formed after the breakup of the East African Railways Corporation (EARC) in 1977 when it took over the Ugandan part of the East African railways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rift Valley Railways</span> Consortium that operated railways in Kenya and Uganda

Rift Valley Railways (RVR) was a consortium established to manage the parastatal railways of Kenya and Uganda. The consortium won the bid for private management of the century-old Uganda Railway in 2005. The Kenya-Uganda railway had previously been run by the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation over the period 1948–77. In 2014, RVR moved 1,334 million net tonne kilometers of rail freight, up from 1,185 million net tonne kilometers the previous year. Both Kenya and Uganda terminated their contracts with RVR in mid-2017, with control of their national rail networks reverting to the Kenya Railways Corporation and the Uganda Railways Corporation, respectively.

Railway stations in Uganda include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Busia, Uganda</span> Place in Uganda

Busia is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of the Busia District, with the district headquarters located there.

Malaba, Uganda is a town in Tororo District in the Eastern Region of Uganda, on its eastern border with Kenya. It sits adjacent from Malaba, Kenya, across the Malaba River that marks the border between Uganda and Kenya.

Tororo Inland Port is a proposed dry port in inland Uganda.

Tororo Cement Limited (TCL), a Ugandan company, is one of the largest manufacturers of construction materials in East Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway</span> Standard gauge railway line in Kenya

The Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, completed in 2017, was built as the first phase of the Kenya Standard Gauge Railway. It is a standard-gauge railway (SGR) in Kenya that connects the large Indian Ocean city of Mombasa with Nairobi, the country's capital and largest city. This SGR runs parallel to the narrow-gauge Uganda Railway that was completed in 1901 under British colonial rule. The East African Railway Master Plan provides for the Mombasa–Nairobi SGR to link with other SGRs being built in the East African Community.

The Jinja–Iganga–Bugiri–Tororo Road is a road in the Eastern Region of Uganda, connecting the towns of Jinja and Tororo. Sometimes referred to as Tororo–Jinja Road, it is a busy transport corridor, connecting traffic from neighboring Kenya, and northeastern Uganda to Jinja, a major commercial and industrial center, and ultimately to Kampala, the country's capital, and beyond.

Kawanda–Birembo High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line, under construction, connecting the high voltage substation at Kawanda, in Uganda to another high voltage substation at Birembo, in Rwanda.

Bihanga is a settlement in Ibanda District in the Western Region of Uganda. It is the location of the headquarters of Bihanga Parish, Nyamarebe sub-county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway</span> Government-owned standard gauge railway system in Tanzania

The Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is a railway system, under construction and partially in operation, serving Tanzania and linking it to the neighbouring countries of Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, and through these to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as part of the East African Railway Master Plan. The new, electrified standard gauge railway is intended to replace the outdated metre-gauge railway system.

The Kenya Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is a partially finished railway system connecting Kenya's cities. Once completed, it will link the country to the neighboring country of Uganda, and through Uganda, to South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi. There are also plans to link to Addis Ababa, in neighboring Ethiopia to the north. The first segment, between Mombasa and Nairobi, opened passenger rail service in June 2017, and freight rail service in January 2018. Other segments are under construction or planned. The new standard gauge railway is intended to replace the old, inefficient metre-gauge railway system.

The Rwanda Standard Gauge Railway is a standard gauge railway (SGR) system, under development, linking the country to the neighboring countries of Tanzania and Uganda. It is intended to ease the transfer of goods between the Indian Ocean ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, and the Rwandan capital Kigali. The system is expected to link, in the future, to Rwanda's two other neighbors, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as part of the East African Railway Master Plan. With no previously existing railway network, Rwanda is developing its railway system from scratch. The project is dependent on the construction of the Tanzanian and Ugandan SGR lines to the Rwandan border, which have not been completed as of October 2023.

The Karuma–Juba High Voltage Power Line is a planned high voltage electricity power line, connecting the high voltage substation at Karuma, in Kiryandongo District, in the Western Region of Uganda, to another high voltage substation at Juba, in Jubek State, in South Sudan.

The Kakira–Kisumu Expressway, also Kenya–Uganda Highway, is a road in Uganda and Kenya, connecting the cities of Kakira and Iganga in Uganda to Busia, Malaba and Kisumu in Kenya.

References

  1. ↑ Barigaba, Julius (6 January 2018). "Uganda refocuses on metre gauge rail as Kenya delays SGR". The EastAfrican . Nairobi. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  2. ↑ Kuo, Lily (24 July 2017). "Uganda's Chinese-built high speed railway will cost even more than Kenya's did". Quartz Africa. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  3. ↑ Nelson Wesonga (7 April 2017). "Minister defends Shs45.6 trillion Standard Gauge Railway project cost". Daily Monitor . Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  4. ↑ Olingo, Allan (27 March 2019). "Museveni, Uhuru close ranks on extension of SGR to Uganda border". Business Daily Africa . Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  5. ↑ "Road Distance Betwe3en Kampala, Uganda And Malaba, Uganda" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  6. ↑ Frederic Musisi (7 September 2018). "Museveni, Xi Jinping Hold Talks". Daily Monitor . Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  7. ↑ Elias Biryabarema (26 January 2017). "Uganda negotiating $2.3 bln loan with China to fund rail line". Reuters.com . Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  8. ↑ "Distance between Tororo Railway Station, Tororo, Uganda and Gulu Rail Station Polling Station, Gulu, Uganda" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "Distance between Gulu Rail Station Polling Station, Gulu, Uganda and Elegu Collection Center, Uganda" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  10. ↑ "Distance between Gulu Rail Station Polling Station, Gulu, Uganda and Goli, Uganda" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  11. ↑ "Distance between Kampala Railway Station, Kampala, Uganda and Uganda Customs Mpondwe, Uganda" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  12. ↑ "Distance between Bihanga, Uganda and Mirama Hills, Uganda" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  13. ↑ Allan Olingo (20 September 2017). "Kenya, Uganda seek SGR funding from China". The EastAfrican . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  14. ↑ Julius Barigaba (12 January 2023). "Uganda cancels $2.2bn SGR contract with Chinese firm, signs with Turkish company". The EastAfrican . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Uganda, Kenya seek funds in joint bid to take SGR to DRC". The East African. 5 August 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  16. ↑ Gerald Andae (10 May 2023). "Uganda renews hope of Kenya extending its SGR to Malaba". Business Daily Africa . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  17. ↑ "Kenya, Uganda revive bid to complete SGR project". The East African. 29 July 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  18. ↑ Andrew Bagala (1 February 2024). "Uganda, Kenya set to build SGR". Daily Monitor . Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  19. ↑ Maria Jacinta Kannyange (1 August 2024). "Govt picks Turkish firm for Malaba-Kampala SGR". Daily Monitor . Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  20. ↑ John Masaba (14 October 2024). "Uganda, Turkish Company Sign Shs10.8 Trillion Railway Contract". New Vision . Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.