Uganda Signs Deal With Turkish Company To Build 272-km Railway

The Ugandan government has signed a contract with Turkish construction company Yapi Merkezi to build a 272-kilometre (169-mile) railway section, aimed at enhancing regional trade.

This is part of a grand plan to construct a 1,700 km electric rail system that has the potential to connect the East African country with seven other countries in the region.

According to a statement on Monday by Perez Wamburu, coordinator of Uganda’s Standard Gauge Railway project, the first segment of the 272 kilometres would cost the country 2.7 billion Euros ($3 billion).

Wamburu added that construction is expected to begin in November 2024.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Bageya Waiswa, permanent secretary of Uganda’s Ministry of Works, stated that the project would not only promote trade but also significantly reduce transportation costs.

This railway section will connect Kampala to Malaba on the Kenyan border, linking Uganda’s rail infrastructure to the Chinese-built Standard-Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya.

It would also help the land-locked country have access to the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa in Kenya.

Another Turkish company, Yapi Merkezi, built the new Dar es Salaam – Dodoma electric SGR in Tanzania, which is part of the same East African railway masterplan.

It is worthy of note that China and Turkey are proving to be reliable development partners in Africa, as they continue to provide financial and technical support for impactful infrastructures in African countries.

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Oluwatobi Odeyinka

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