Prime
Uganda, Kenya partners to develop SGR project
Kenyan Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen (L) and Uganda’s Katumba Wamala speak to media in Mombasa, Kenya on July 28, 2023. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NMG
What you need to know:
- Mr Murkomen Kipchumba, the cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport, and Public Works in Kenya, said the joint communique follows months of bilateral engagements between the line ministries of the two countries
Both governments of Uganda and Kenya have signed a joint communique on financing and development of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in both countries, Kenya's transport secretary has revealed.
According to a Friday statement by Mr Murkomen Kipchumba, the cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport, and Public Works in Kenya, the joint communique follows months of bilateral engagements between the line ministries of the two countries.
"After months of bilateral engagements, consultations and deliberations with my Ugandan counterpart Gen Edward Wamala (Minister of Works and Transport), we have today [Friday] signed a joint communique between the government of the Republic of Kenya and the government of the Republic of Uganda on the financing and development of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya and Malaba-Kampala Standard Gauge Railway in Uganda," Mr Kipchumba tweeted.
"The signing of this communique, which took place at the SGR Mombasa Terminus Friday afternoon, saw the two countries commit to undertaking the SGR extension project as a regional project under the Northern Corridor Integration Projects Initiative," he added.
Equally, the two East African countries also agreed to consider constructing supporting infrastructure such as dry ports and industrial parks to enhance service levels and spur the growth of towns along the Standard Gauge Railway routes by attracting investments and other economic activities.
Mr Kipchumba also noted: "We have also agreed to the construction of the connecting sections concurrently and fast-track the securing of financing for these SGR sections."
In May, this publication reported that the delays in the commencement of the SGR project were due to the failure of the Chinese firm contracted for the job to secure funds.
The government has since walked away from China Harbour Engineering Company Limited after years of unfulfilling the contract promises.
The Monitor further reported that the government has since replaced the Chinese company with Yapi Merkezi, a Turkish construction firm to construct the long-awaited Standard Gauge Railway which is estimated to cost about $2.2 billion.
