Tororo-Busia railway project: strengthening logistics between Uganda and the port of Dar es Salaam
Uganda, a landlocked country in East Africa, is implementing an ambitious strategy to optimize its logistics links to regional ports, which are crucial to its foreign trade. A major infrastructure project involves building a 60-km railway line linking the town of Tororo in eastern Uganda to a proposed port in Busia District, located on the shores of Lake Victoria in the southeast of the country. The initiative aims to streamline the transport of goods to the port of Mwanza in Tanzania, and by extension to the port of Dar es Salaam, a strategic gateway to the Indian Ocean.
Feasibility studies and financing: a project estimated at 600 million dollars
According to Perez Wamburu, the national project coordinator for the standard gauge railway network, feasibility studies for the new rail link have been completed. The total cost of building the 60-km line is estimated at around $600 million. The line will be part of a larger rail network, with a focus on connecting to Kampala, the Ugandan capital, and Malaba, a border town with Kenya, via a railway estimated at $2.95 billion.
Towards an efficient intermodal link between Uganda and Tanzania
The Tororo-Busia line is expected to eventually become a vital link for transporting goods between the new Busia port in Uganda and the Tanzanian port of Mwanza, located across Lake Victoria. The latter, with its own railway line connecting to the port of Dar es Salaam, will facilitate the export of Ugandan products to international markets via the Indian Ocean.
Conclusion
The Tororo-Busia railway project represents a strategic step forward for Uganda, offering prospects for economic growth through reduced transport costs and time. By further linking its transport network to its regional neighbours, Uganda is maximising its export capacity, thereby increasing its trade potential while facilitating access to global markets.
