President Museveni Commissions Mukono- Kampala Metre Gauge Railway Line

The President of Uganda H.E.Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today commissioned the 26.8km Mukono-Kamapala Metre Gauge Railway Line rehabilitated with concrete sleepers.

The President revealed that government plans to extend the current MGR line from Mukono to Kawolo and then Jinja. All these sections will be fitted with concrete sleepers. The extension is aimed at improving efficiency for both cargo and passenger services.

One year ago he commissioned the Concrete Sleepers making factory in Kawolo, Lugazi and today he commissions the railway line rehabilitated with sleepers locally manufactured from the only concrete sleeper making factory in East Africa.

Currently works are ongoing on the 382Km Tororo-Gulu line, rehabilitation of the Tororo-Kampala line was completed and efforts are underway to embark on the construction of the Kampala-Kyengera line and Kampala Portbell.

"As part of the 301 Million dollar facility from the African Development Bank (AFDB) @AfDB_Group under the East African Railways Rehabilitation Project, we are set to commence works on the Kampala-Kyengera and Kampala-Portbell railway line. With these two sections, the long hours of travel due to congestion along those routes will ably be addressed".Said Gen Katumba Wamala the minister of works and Transport. 

The 26.8km Railway Line is vital in alleviating transport challanges on the very busy and congested Kampala-Mukono road. The commutter train currently has a capacity of transporting 650 persons on a single trip. The rehabilitated section is fitted with 185Kg concrete sleepers and designed for speeds of upto 120km/hr. A significant upgrade from the old infrastructure which allowed for only 20-30kms/hr.He added.