The Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) is aggressively scaling up its national railway revival strategy through network expansion, land reclamation, and new passenger and cargo services.
State Minister for Transport Julius Maganda outlinesd Uganda’s efforts to strengthen railway transport and keep pace with other East African countries.
He made the remarks during the Ministry of Works and Transport stakeholders’ engagement forum held in Kampala.
According to Maganda , the operational meter-gauge railway network is set to expand from 269 km to approximately 650 km by the end of 2026, driven largely by the completion of the Tororo–Gulu railway line.
Scheduled passenger train services from Kampala to Jinja (crossing the River Nile) and expanded commuter runs in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area are set to launch in December 2026.
Groundworks are underway for the 272 km Malaba–Kampala Standard Gauge Railway project with Turkish contractor Yapı Merkezi establishing camps and a sleeper plant in Iganga.
URC initiated a nationwide eviction and clearance of encroachers along railway corridors (such as the Kampala–Kasese and Tororo–Gulu/Lira lines) following a Cabinet directive, removing over 700 encroachers to secure the right-of-way for rehabilitation and future SGR construction.
The Cabinet approved a new railway legislative framework to open parts of the sector to private investment, streamline operations, and support heavy cargo transport to shift freight off national highways.
