Having a modern and functional infrastructure is a fundamental condition for the development of any economy. And this is something the Ugandan Government knows well; under the leadership of its President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, it has placed infrastructures at the centre of its National Development Plan 2012/11 – 2014/15 and the country’s development programme, fittingly called Uganda Vision 2040. The railways are one of the most important chapters in this development programme. With a great sense of realism, the Ugandan President, Mr. Museveni, has grasped the need to develop not only a modern and efficient national network but a new regional rail transport system which also involves neighbouring countries. Realisation of this ambitious plan has been entrusted to the Ministry of Works and Transport, lead by the Vice-Minister Hon. Eng. John Byabagambi, who is in charge of the Standard Gauge Railways project, not only for Ugandabut also for the other countries which signed the Tripartite Agreement for the development of the railway network, Kenya and Rwanda. Just a few hours after the 6th Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit was brought to a close inKampala, Railway Engineering met up with the Ugandan Vice-Minister, John Byabagambi who gave us a very clear outline of the project, both in socio-economic terms and from a technical point of view.
Railway Engineering: Honourable Minister, thank you very much for this meeting which allows us to accurately describe the terms of this large project for a standard gauge railway network in Uganda and the region as a whole.
John Byabagambi: I am very pleased you came to Uganda and asked to interview me. I hold the role of State Minister for Works and Transport but am also President of the Committee of Ministers for the Northern Corridor Integration Project and am therefore in charge of the railway projects which affect the countries involved, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and also South Sudan and Burundi.
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