KAMPALA, Aug 12 (BERNAMA-NNN-NEW VISION) — Three East African countries — Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda — are implementing a joint US$13 billion project for a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Mombasa via Kampala to Kigali.
The project, to be jointly financed by the three countries, is expected to be completed by 2018 when it promises to ease trade and reduce road traffic.
Each member state will meet its loan liabilities differently.
Ugandan Works Minister Abraham Byandala said Kenya is already ahead of Uganda and Rwanda since the country charges 1.5 per cent of the railway cargo value for financing the project.
Speaking at a media briefing on the development of the project here recently, he said the preliminary designs for the Mombasa-Nairobi part of the project had been completed and the ground-breaking is expected by November this year.
The feasibility study and preliminary designs for the 511-km Nairobi-Malaba section from the Kenyan capital to the Uganda border is being undertaken by Kenya Railway Corporation, with support from local experts and due to be ready by December this year.
Byandala said the designs for the 250-km Nakuru-Kisumu section within Kenya is also expected to be ready by December 2013.
For Uganda, preliminary engineering designs for the 250-km Kampala-Malaba SGR is undertaken by a consultant and expected to be ready by October this year.
Source:BERNAMA-NNN-NEW VISION
