Uganda 'may' extend rail network to South Sudan

Extension of the railway line to South Sudan will reduce the cost of exporters of the country since South Sudan is a potential market for Uganda. It holds an integral part of Uganda's export market right after Kenya as South Sudan earned $351.5 million from Uganda in 2019.

The government of Uganda will extend its railway line to South Sudan if funds are available, said Matia Kasaija, the Finance Minister of the country, according to a report by The Monitor. Kasaija commented on the extension while handing over the office to the new Uganda Railways Corporation managing director. He said transportation from railways is the cheapest which is why the railway investment needs to be prioritized.

"If we can now rehabilitate the meter-gauge railway all the way to Tororo, and if money allows, we may have to build it up to South Sudan, because it is the cheapest mode of transportation," he said.

Extension of the railway line to South Sudan will reduce the cost of exporters of the country since South Sudan is a potential market for Uganda. It holds an integral part of Uganda's export market right after Kenya.

Adding to it, Stanley Sendegeya, the new managing director, said that the refurbishing of railway lines and upgrading slippers from steel to concrete will require USD 1 billion. "We already have works approved such as Tororo-Gulu for USD 49 million, Kampala-Malaba for USD 360 million, the estimate for Kampala-Kasese is USD 500 million and Gulu-Pakwach is USD 100 million," he said, adding Uganda Railways Corporation is currently looking for financiers for the works.

Sendegeya also focused on expanding railway passenger service beyond Kampala-Namanve, in the short and medium-term plans and Kyengera and Port Bell, with longer-term goals of moving to Jinja and Mityana in five years. Meanwhile, the challenges faced by Uganda Railways Corporation are numerous, covering vandalism and encroachment on its land limiting its ability to release development.

Sendegeya has also set the agenda of targeting the private sector for the development of railways as he highlighted the roles of the private sector during a press conference. He said, "that model is to ensure that we bring private sector on board, if we can build a line then the private sector builds the warehouses and silos, that is the model we are going to adopt and it is the journey ahead of us."