TANZANIA: Recently the uganda railway corporation announced bids for the full Rehabilitation of Malaba-Jinja, Portbell-Kla-Kyengera lines, including all stations, and halts along the sections, park & ride facilities at Namanve and Kyengera, where they reportedly received the bids from five (5) suppliers – Rail Vicas Nigam Lin, China Railways 7th Group Co. Ltd, China Civil Engineering Corp., ANHU Honglida Construction Eng. Co. Ltd & CRBC.
On 16th March the High Commissioner of Uganda to Tanzania, Col (RTD) Fred Mwesigye, met with the Director General of Tanzania Railways Corporation, Machibya Masanja, at the Uganda High Commission in Tanzania to discuss the development of the SGR infrastructure following the recent MOU signed between Uganda and Tanzania.
Mr. Masanja was accompanied by Mr. Pierluigi Bartoloni a boardmember of ITS Engineering based in Italy and Mr. Hans-Georg Lindinger from Switzerland and Mr Jack Lee of DeruMann Plantagenet GmbH.
In his remarks, Mr. Masanja emphasized that Uganda and Tanzania are interested in partnering and conducting feasibility studies for the proposed SGR connection between Dar es salaam/Tanga Isaka to murongo – Kigagate Mpondwe rail SGR Connection. He further emphasized that such Infrastructure projects would enhance Economic Development and Regional Integration in East Africa.
He highlighted the country’s position as a key transport connector between East African countries and the Southern African Development Community (COMESA). He noted that Tanzania is advancing plans for the joint Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project, which is expected to extend to Isaka and potentially connect to other parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He encouraged investors to consider opportunities along the Central Corridor, noting that investments in the corridor are expected to generate strong long-term returns.
Mr. Masanja further indicated that, subject to the availability of resources, the railway project could take approximately five years or more to complete.
In addition, he revealed plans to establish a railway training college in either Mwanza or Dodoma to build local capacity in railway operations and management whereby Amb mwesigye proposed that this college could be a joint East Africa project.
He advised the investors to submit a formal letter of intent to enable further discussions and technical engagement.
Ambassador Mwesigye noted that Uganda, being a landlocked country, places high importance on securing multiple access routes to the sea.
He observed that Dar es Salaam offers a stable and reliable maritime access point for Uganda compared to Mombasa, making railway connectivity between the two countries strategically important.
He also indicated that the Democratic Republic of the Congo has expressed readiness to join the project once arrangements are finalized. He stressed that cargo movement and regional trade present strong commercial opportunities for the proposed railway.
Mwesigye further highlighted the upcoming other two Pipelines of Natural Gas Pipeline and Bi-directional refined products Pipeline between uganda and Tanzania which offers further opportunities.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue engagement and explore practical steps toward developing the SGR project between Tanzania–Uganda railway connection as part of broader regional infrastructure Integration.
