President Yoweri Museveni has inaugurated construction works for the 272km Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) connecting Malaba to Kampala.

The ambitious project, which includes an electric railway line and associated infrastructure, is expected to be completed within 48 months.

“If we can have more railway transport within the city, there will be fewer people driving cars into the city. This will help to decongest the city. The train already in service has seen so many people use it,” President Museveni said at the launch.

According to the Ministry of Works and Transport, the completed SGR will strengthen regional integration, boost international trade, reduce travel time between Kampala and Nairobi, and generate over 150,000 job opportunities both directly and indirectly. It will also increase exports to global markets, enhance tourism, and lower production costs by 30%, improving Uganda’s competitiveness.

“This project will be a safer, efficient, and cost-effective bulk transport solution,” said Gen. Katumba Wamala, Minister of Works and Transport. “It will regenerate towns and cities along the route while providing a reliable transport system.”

The SGR network spans approximately 1,700 km and is being developed in phases. The Malaba-Kampala route marks the first phase, with plans to extend the Western route to connect with Rwanda and the DRC and the Northern route to link with South Sudan and the DRC.

This milestone follows Uganda’s October signing of a €2.7 billion contract with Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi for constructing the Eastern Route of the SGR between Tororo and Kampala.

During the signing ceremony on October 14, 2024, Gen. Wamala underscored the importance of local participation, urging Yapi Merkezi to reserve 40% of the contract value for Ugandan suppliers in line with the government’s Local Content Strategy. “Be transparent in all matters of local content to avoid disputes that can hamper project delivery,” he advised.

The planned local participation aims to enhance capacity and ensure Ugandans benefit from the project from its onset.

Other SGR lines include the 465km Northern Line from Tororo-Gulu-Nimule (South Sudan border), the Western Line from Kampala-Bihanga-Kasese-Mpondwe (DR Congo border), and the Southern Line from Bihanga-Mirama Hills (Rwanda border).