UGANDA’S President, Yoweri Museveni, officially launched the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) on Thursday, a major infrastructure initiative expected to transform trade and transport across East Africa. The project, led by Turkish company Yapi Merkezi, aims to connect Kampala to Malaba, Kenya, with the completed 273-kilometre railway set to drastically improve transport efficiency.
Museveni emphasised that the SGR will not only ease the movement of goods but also boost Uganda’s economic prospects by stimulating trade with neighbouring countries. The new railway will have the capacity to transport 1,000 tons of cargo at once, significantly improving logistical capacities. According to the president, inadequate infrastructure has hindered African trade, with poor connectivity contributing to Africa’s share of global trade remaining below 5 percent. In contrast, other continents have trade shares of 40-60 percent.
‘By connecting Uganda to the entire region, we aim at boosting regional trade, allowing us to trade directly with Africa,’ said Museveni. He also highlighted that the project would cut travel time from Mombasa to Kampala to under 10 hours, compared to the current 14-hour journey by the meter gauge train.
This ambitious $3bn project will stretch over 170 miles (273 km) and is part of a broader effort to enhance East Africa’s transport infrastructure. Turkish companies, including PolatYol Yapi and Gulsan, have played a significant role in this and other infrastructure projects across Uganda. The railway’s completion is expected to stimulate job creation and skill development in Uganda, providing long-term economic benefits.
Ambassador Fatih Ak of Turkey expressed his nation’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s development agenda. He explained that the railway would help Uganda unlock untapped potential, making its products more competitive on the global market.
Levent Serdar Dervisoglu, Uganda’s honorary consul in Istanbul, noted that the SGR will provide a much-needed economic boost, emphasising its importance in creating jobs, improving trade efficiency, and positioning Uganda as a key player in regional commerce.
As Uganda continues to build its infrastructure, the Standard Gauge Railway is a vital step towards enhancing connectivity, stimulating economic growth, and integrating the country further into East Africa’s transport network.
