By Silvia Nyambura
Rift Valley Railways (RVR) has received the first of 3 locomotives purchased in a project aimed at doubling its freight haulage capacity. The arrival of the locomotives is a major milestone as they will deliver the much needed infrastructure and rolling stock required to turnaround the Kenya Uganda railway.
Speaking at a ceremony held in Kampala on 20th October 2014, John Byabagambi the state minister for works said the value of a fully functional railway for Uganda and the region cannot be overstated.
“The trucks carrying heavy loads in and out of Uganda are exerting unsustainable pressure on our road infrastructure. As government we are therefore very supportive of the efforts being made by RVR to improve railway services because we fully appreciate the direct impact an efficient railway system has on our overall transport network, and the impact that this, in turn, has on the growth of the economy of Uganda and indeed of the region,