Uganda to revive century-old railway network

KAMPALA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has said plans are underway to repair the old railway line to ease movement of cargo.

Museveni made the remark on Thursday while addressing a gathering during celebrations to mark the International Women's Day held in Mityana, about 60 km west of the capital, Kampala.

"The roads are not very good for transporting cargo. The best method is by the railway and through water. We have taken the decision to repair the old railway," Museveni said.

"The line through Mityana-Misozi-Nkongi to Kasese will be worked on. Otherwise if you go on using the roads for heavy cargo, we are going to waste a lot of money reconstructing the road. It is good we have rationalized railway transport," he added.

The first railway line to ever enter Uganda was extended in the mid-1920s from Nakuru, in Kenya, through Soroti to Kampala.

From Kampala the line was extended to Kasese and later through Tororo, Mbale, Soroti, Pakwach, Lira, up to Gulu Town in the northern region, covering about 1,266 km within Uganda.

Museveni said plans were also in place for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway that will run from Kampala to the Kenya coastal port of Mombasa. Enditem