Renown transport consultant Paul Power has delivered a resounding call-to-arms, urging the government to embrace private enterprise within the hallowed halls of the nation’s transport network.
Power suggested that this is the most feasible way to rejuvenate Uganda’s ailing railway infrastructure, which is on the verge of total collapse.
With Uganda’s expansive rail network spanning a majestic 1,250 kilometers, a stark reality emerges: a mere fraction, a paltry 20 percent, remains operational, while the remainder languishes in a state of disrepair and abandonment.
Statistics paint a sobering picture: the railway, once a lifeline for cargo and passengers alike, now accounts for a meager 2 percent of freight transportation and a mere 1 percent of passenger services.
Power, a beacon of change, underscores the untapped potential of rail, citing its economic prowess and eco-friendly footprint as catalysts for transformation.
Power asserts that, akin to the energy and telecommunications realms, governments worldwide have permitted private sector involvement in utilizing state-owned railway networks, primarily through investments in wagons or locomotives.
He contends that this approach is necessitated by governments’ financial constraints, precluding them from shouldering the burden of both infrastructure maintenance and funding the procurement of rolling stock.
As the appointed steward of the Capacity Building Project at Uganda Railways Corporation, his mandate extends far beyond mere rhetoric, promising tangible results in the face of adversity.
John Lennon Sengendo, the head of Communicatios at URC, lends credence to Power’s vision, acknowledging the financial burden borne by the state.
With a nod to neighboring Tanzania’s model, Sengendo envisages a future where private investment breathes new life into Uganda’s railway arteries, propelling the nation towards prosperity.
Yet, amidst the fervor for progress, challenges loom large. A lack of cohesive vision plagues the sector, rendering it disorganized and unregulated, with safety and security policies left in disarray.
Nevertheless, rays of hope emerge on the horizon, as Uganda Railways Corporation embarks on ambitious reconstruction projects, reviving key routes and bolstering infrastructure.
With support from the African Development Bank, dreams of a Standard Gauge Railway inch closer to fruition, promising a quantum leap in Uganda’s transport landscape.
As the wheels of change gather momentum, Uganda’s railways stand poised on the brink of transformation.
With private enterprise steering the course, the nation embarks on a journey towards a brighter, more prosperous future, where the echoes of progress resonate through the steel arteries of the land.
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