Former Works and Transport Minister Eng. John Byabagambi has disagreed with claims that Uganda’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project is behind schedule saying ‘it is on course’.
There has been public outcry and dissatisfaction among Ugandans concerning the progress of the SGR, a tripartite project between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda under the Northern corridor integration project.
During a handover event on Thursday where Eng. Byabagambi passed over office to his successor Eng. Monica Azuba Ntegge, he said; “Nobody should say that the standard gage railway is delayed. It is on course.”
“You can not start construction from the interland towards the sea coast. Instead, you start from the coast so that while construction is ongoing, part of the rail way is being used.”
He revealed that an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) for the Eastern and Western routes within Uganda’s interland was already signed and land has been acquired up to Iganga.
“For the Western route, an MoU has already been signed. Preliminary studies and consultancy have been completed, what’s remaining are negotiations,” added Eng. Byabagambi the new Minister for Karamoja who said he prides in all the ‘strong decisions’ he took while at the helm of the Works sector.
Achievements highlighted in his handover remarks included the Kampala – Entebbe express way on which 65 percent works have been completed, establishment of the Soroti flying school which will be operationalized in two years and gazetting of numerous road safety instruments.
However, Byabagambi lamented about the meager funding that the sector receives from the treasury as compared to the pending infrastructure development. He also scoffed at Accounting Officers who spend all the time in offices instead of getting on the ground to ensure supervision.
