New railway to connect Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda

Three East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda are implementing a joint $13b project for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Mombasa via Kampala to Kigali.

The project, to be jointly financed by the three countries, is expected to be completed by 2018.

It will ease trade and reduce road traffic.

Each member state will meet its loan liabilities differently.

Eng. Abraham Byandala, the works minister said Kenya is already ahead of Uganda and Rwanda since they charge 1.5% of the railway cargo value for financing the project.

He said this during a press briefing on the development of the project at the ministry boardroom recently.

He said the preliminary designs for Mombasa- Nairobi (SGR) have been completed and the ground breaking is expected by November this year.

The feasibility study and preliminary designs for the 511km Nairobi-Malaba section is being undertaken in-house by Kenya Railway Corporation strengthened by local experts and is expected to be ready by December this year.

Byandala said the designs for 250Km Nakuru-Kisumu is also expected by December 2013.

For Uganda, the preliminary engineering designs for 250km Kampala- Malaba SGR is being undertaken by a consultant and is expected to be ready by October this year.