The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, has urged renewed investment in Uganda’s railway and marine transport systems to ease pressure on the country’s roads and boost regional trade.
Speaking at the launch of the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) Five-Year Strategic Plan (2025–2030), Gen. Katumba said Uganda’s roads are overstretched due to heavy reliance on trucks for cargo transportation likening the situation to “a human being meant to carry 30 kilos being loaded with 90.”
“It is high time we relieved the roads of that pressure by developing the railway and marine systems and getting them back on track,” he said, adding that reviving the rail network is not merely a corporate initiative but “a national government agenda.”
The minister noted that a single freight train can remove up to 60 heavy trailers from the road, reducing accidents, road damage, and fuel-related emissions.
He called on the private sector and development partners to support efforts to modernise Uganda’s transport network in line with the National Development Plan and the government’s drive toward full economic monetisation.
The new URC plan outlines key priorities including rehabilitation of the Kampala Malaba line, completion of the Tororo–Gulu route, and expansion of commuter passenger services in Kampala.
It also seeks to enhance financial sustainability, improve maintenance capacity, and strengthen integration with other transport modes.
Gen. Katumba also urged greater use of Lake Victoria for cargo movement between Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, saying the country has “an idle resource” that should be developed to complement land transport.
“Our friends in Tanzania are moving very fast with their infrastructure we should not be found wanting,” he said.
He emphasised that Uganda’s central position in the region requires strategic investment in rail and marine systems to serve as a logistics hub for neighbouring countries such as South Sudan, Rwanda, and the DRC.
URC Managing Director Benon Kajuna said the Shs1.7 trillion plan aims to align Uganda’s transport infrastructure with Vision 2040, the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
“This plan is our blueprint for driving Uganda’s railway-led economic transformation,” Kajuna said, outlining three core pillars: infrastructure development, rolling stock modernisation, and human resource capacity building.
Kajuna said only 20 percent of Uganda’s 1,260-kilometre metre-gauge network is currently operational, but the plan targets reopening the Gulu–Pakwach and Kampala–Kasese lines and completing the Tororo–Gulu link by February 2026.
He noted that funding will come from government allocations, development partner support, and public-private partnerships involving the African Development Bank, World Bank, European Union, JICA, and TradeMark Africa.
“Our operational ratio is unsustainable for every shilling earned, we spend 2.5 shillings. Capitalisation is critical if we are to make URC a commercially viable and self-sustaining entity,” Kajuna said.
The URC chief also pointed to ongoing challenges such as inadequate funding, vandalism, encroachment on railway land, and outdated policy frameworks.
The corporation plans to introduce digital systems, performance contracts, and anti-corruption reforms to boost efficiency and transparency.
Kajuna added that the plan marks a shift from reliance on government subventions to revenue generation through asset monetisation and land development.