Uganda prefers the European standard for its standard gauge railway (SGR) to the Chinese one, a move that negates the Northern Corridor member states’ desire to operate seamless cargo and passenger trains.

As such, the Uganda proposed electric SGR line would lock out Kenya’s diesel-powered locomotives within its territory, something experts describe as an operational barrier that has to be dismantled.

The concerns of the private sector have prompted Uganda and Kenya to agree on a raft of technical and policy measures to facilitate a seamless SGR system between the two countries as they work on parallel finishing of their SGR lines.

Kenya says it will start constructing the Naivasha- Kisumu-Malaba line early next year while Uganda’s Kampala-Malaba is to commence in the second quarter of 2026, officials say.

Ugandan permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport Waiswa Bageya has proposed aligning the Uganda design with the Kenyan one, structures, traction power, signalling, communications, rolling stock, and operations.

“The EPC/T Contract places a binding obligation on the contractor Yapi Merkezi to ensure that the design, systems, and components are fully compatible and interoperable with adjoining networks, particularly Kenya SGR,” he said.“Differing standards do not preclude seamless interoperability; rather, refining specifications within these standards can achieve the required compatibility between the Ugandan and Kenyan SGR systems.”The Northern Corridor is the busiest and most important transport route in East and Central Africa, providing a gateway through Kenya to the landlocked economies of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and eastern Congo. It also serves South Sudan.

Uganda is betting that completion of the SGR will reduce the cost of transporting a 20-foot container from Mombasa Port to Kampala by half, from $3,200 to $1,600.

Uganda's Minister of Works and Transport Gen Katumba Wamala called for the conclusion to the discussions, urging both countries to provide a structured roadmap.“The agreed positions are binding on the parties and their agents, and they form a solid basis for the design of the Uganda SGR system wherever it interfaces with Kenya,” the minister said in a speech read by Fred Byamukama, State Minister of Works and Transport at a bilateral meeting.

The Kenyan delegation was led by Wendy Maina, deputy director of the Rail Transport Directorate at Kenya’s Ministry of Roads and Transport.

The Kenyan team said that land acquisition and compensation of project-affected persons have commenced for the 262km Naivasha – Kisumu phase and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the contractor who built the Nairobi – Naivasha stretch, who will also work on the stretch to Kisumu.

Kenya and Uganda agreed to continue sharing data, design, and operation insights and the Uganda technical team is scheduled for a physical experiential visit to Kenya next month.

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