Railroad Forums 

  • Kenya-Uganda rail to be privatised

  • Discussion about railroad topics everywhere outside of Canada and the United States.
Discussion about railroad topics everywhere outside of Canada and the United States.

Moderators: Komachi, David Benton

 #39260  by george matthews
 
http://allafrica.com/stories/200407290744.html
Mikaili Sseppuya
Kampala
Uganda and Kenya recently signed a memorandum of understanding,
formalising a concessionaire to lease their railway corporations.
The memorandum allows interested bidders to make proposals to lease the concessioned facilities.
Prof. Peter Kasenene Uganda's privatisation state minister and John
Michuki, Kenya's transport minister signed the memorandum.
"The governments of Uganda and Kenya have decided to privatise their
railways through a joint concession," Michuki said before the signing.
Kasenene said the concession aimed at enhancing efficiency.
Kenya is concessioning 1,920kms of its railway, while Uganda is
concessioning 270kms, including the Malaba to Kampala line and the Luzira
route.
A Ugandan official who preferred anonymity said though calling for the
bids to operate the concession is likely to be in September, proposals from
potential operators are welcome.
The official said there were prospects of extending the rail lines to
the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.

The official said the Kasese line needs to be rehabilitated.
Bombardier Transportation, a company which was expected to take part in
the concessioning, recently terminated all its operations in Africa.<<

Interesting news, especially the possiblity of extension to Sudan and Congo.

However, the chronic war in Sudan makes it unlikely (and Sudan has 3ft 6 in gauge), and the war in Congo (former Zaire) is also not encouraging.

I hear the Kasese line is currently derelict and unusable, following the closure of the copper mine.

I have travelled from Kampala to Kenya when the line was part of East African Railways.

 #42936  by SnoozerZ49
 
Good Day:

Is there any place on the internet that I could access to learn more about the railroads in Uganda and Kenya? I am ingnorant on the subject and would ike to learn more.
Thanks
Joe

 #43788  by george matthews
 
>>Is there any place on the internet that I could access to learn more about the railroads in Uganda and Kenya? I am ingnorant on the subject and would ike to learn more.
Thanks<<

I don't know. Try google. I used to live in Kenya and used most of the rail lines in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) when they were all run by the same organisation - East African railways. All the lines are in a sad condition these days- though the Mombasa-Nairobi train is probably still all right as it takes tourists. I used to travel a lot on the Kisumu-Nairobi train a lot.

 #43882  by David Benton
 
A travel site like www.lonelyplanet.com , may have up to date information on train travel there . I'm on the wrong computer to find the link , but theres a website called seat 61 or similiar , that has Information on most countries train travel .
finally , the CIA has information on every country , usually including a description of the rail system .

 #44170  by george matthews
 
SnoozerZ49 wrote:Good Day:

Is there any place on the internet that I could access to learn more about the railroads in Uganda and Kenya? I am ingnorant on the subject and would ike to learn more.
I tried google with "kenya uganda rail"

I got this

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Uganda_Railway

 #45042  by Guest
 
Thanks for the tips!

 #45067  by Sir Ray
 
Speaking of Uganda railways...
Back in high school during the 1980s, our social studies teacher had mentioned a few times (during the study of Central Africa, Uganda, Kenya the Congo, etc.) that it was a shame the British had never completed a Capetown to Cairo railroad during the colonial period, as it would have really opened up Africa to trade, travel, and expansion (I believe German colonies (Rwanda? Burundi?) laid in the way, and the logistics of British Colonial Railways through German terrority could not be worked out).
Knowing what we know now, would you guys agree with this?

 #45105  by george matthews
 
Sir Ray wrote:Speaking of Uganda railways...
Back in high school during the 1980s, our social studies teacher had mentioned a few times (during the study of Central Africa, Uganda, Kenya the Congo, etc.) that it was a shame the British had never completed a Capetown to Cairo railroad during the colonial period, as it would have really opened up Africa to trade, travel, and expansion (I believe German colonies (Rwanda? Burundi?) laid in the way, and the logistics of British Colonial Railways through German terrority could not be worked out).
Knowing what we know now, would you guys agree with this?
This is a very big question indeed. It involves questions about the nature of the colonial economies and the needs of post colonial Africa.

Briefly, colonial railways were not intended to be a network but linked the Ports (for export) to sources of produce. Consider the two north-south railways in Nigeria, linked only at Kaduna. There are no east-west lines. In reality I doubt whether a Cape to Cairo route would have been profitable. The southern African system now reaches as far as Dar es Salaam but then there is the metre gauge system in the three British East Africa states and a gap to the Sudan with its Cape gauge system (creaking as it is).

Another factor is that it was easier for local entrepreneurs to build up fleets of lorries, and they are influential with politicians. The result is that rail systems tend to decay, even though the roads are also often in bad condition.