Uganda: Modern light railway transport system for Kampala

UGANDA (eTN) – The government of Uganda has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Chinese government for the construction of a light rail mass transportation system project for greater Kampala.

At a cost of 1.5 trillion UGX (USD 440 million), the initial 35-kilometer stretch which shall be constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Cooperation is aimed at de-congesting traffic in the country’s capital and surrounding areas.

Uganda’s Minister of Works, Engineer John Byabagambi, on signing, stated that it shall be more efficient than the recently-commissioned similar light rail in Ethiopia because it shall be suspended, therefore, eliminating the need to pass through road crossings.

“The project is part of Kampala’s metropolitan master plan in tandem with Uganda’s Vision 2040 which aims at projecting the country to middle income status,” added the P.S.

The Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Zhaoyali Chi, said the project is of strategic importance for Uganda and shall cover 240 kilometers when complete. It shall extend from Kampala to the area of Entebbe, Nsangi, Wakiso, and other surrounding towns.

In a follow-up interview, Alex Okello, Ministry of Works Permanent Secretary (PS) said that with the increasing population, the Ministry has been progressively working on a multi-model transport system which has so far witnessed rehabilitation of roads including the northern and southern bypass. The second phase is planned for flyovers and highways to Entebbe International Airport (currently ongoing), Jinja, Mpigi, and Bombo towns.

Earlier in the year, a similar MOU was signed for the construction of a standard gauge railway system to connect the East African countries under the northern corridor infrastructure development initiative.

In the meantime, in order to ameliorate the transport deadlock in the city Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in conjunction with Uganda Railways Corporation and Rift Valley Railways (RVR), a week ago commuter railway transportation was launched to run four times a day between the Central Railway Station and Namamve on the outskirts of the city. The 40-minute ride is not anywhere near the complex system of a metropolis like Transport For London’s A to Z, but at least provides for a stop-gap solution since the light rail is not expected to be in service until after the next 5 years.

Previously, Uganda Railway’s or “Lunatic Express’ (as it was infamously referred to as) claim to fame was inspiring the Hollywood movie “The Ghost and The Darkness,” based on the true story of the man-eating lions of Tsavo during construction in 1898, starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas.

In the later years, the railway network stimulated the development of cities like Kenya’s future capital, Nairobi, with direct passenger and mail transport to Kampala accounting for regional trade and tourism between the East African states until its collapse in the mid-70s.

With the East African states now turning their focus on the development of railway infrastructure, the reintroduction of passenger transport between these cities remains a remote but not improbable prospect to revive regional tourism to its romantic days when famous tourists such as Winston Churchill, Luigi di Savoia, Teddy Rossevelt, Queen Elizabeth, and Ernest Hemingway marveled at the scenic Rift Valley, The White Nile, and wildlife as the train snaked its way to its final destination.