MPs Grill Uganda Railways Corporation Over Shs3.7 Billion Wagon Sale

The Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) is facing intense scrutiny from Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure over the recent sale of 81 railway wagons. The committee, led by Hon. Mwine Mpaka, expressed serious concerns during an inspection of URC headquarters, questioning the value and rationale behind selling the wagons as scrap for Shs3.7 billion.

This inquiry comes at a critical time as Parliament prepares to consider allocating additional funds to revive URC, which has suffered from years of underinvestment and operational hurdles. The committee was also alerted to a further advertisement for the sale of wagons in Tanzania, with concerns raised about the lack of prior notification to Parliament.

URC’s Managing Director, Benon Kajuna, informed the MPs that the corporation currently possesses only four mainline locomotives for cargo transport and five coaches for passenger services between Kampala and Mukono. To stabilize operations, URC estimates an annual requirement of over Shs100 billion for the next five years. The corporation is pursuing the acquisition of 10 new locomotives and 100 flat wagons with support from the African Development Bank, alongside critical rehabilitation of the Mombasa-Kampala railway line.

However, MPs voiced impatience with the proposed five-year recovery timeline. Bunyole West County MP James Waluswaka emphasized the need for faster tangible improvements, likening the long recovery period to significant delays. The challenges extend to personnel, with URC admitting a shortage of specialized staff, including signalling and telecommunications engineers, a situation attributed partly to the suspension of training programs in the 1990s. URC is now looking to recruit specialized personnel and establish a dedicated railway training institute with ADB support.

The committee’s assertive questioning underscores the importance of responsible asset management and operational efficiency as Parliament deliberates on the future funding of the Uganda Railways Corporation.

Source: Howwe Entertainment