Uganda: railways line with southern Sudan mooted

By Nathan Etengu

KAMPALA, July 12, 2004 (New Vision) — Investors and the interim administration in southern Sudan have began talks with Uganda to explore avenues of extending the railway line and telecommunication services to the Sudanese towns of Juba, Yei and Wau.

Re-opening the Tororo-Soroti railway line on Friday,Works minister Eng. John Nasasira said he had chaired one of the negotiations on Tuesday. He said the extension of the services to southern Sudan would boost economic activities in Uganda.

The ceremony was witnessed by hundreds of people, many of whom recalled the “good old days” when the railway line boosted business in the region.

The train made a stop-over at Okungulo(Mukura) where the minister laid a wreath on a monument in memory of the 47 people who were suffocated to death in a train wagon in 1989.

Insecurity and a drop in business forced Uganda Railways to suspend the services along the line in 1997.

M.Ps Patrick Amuriat, Dr. Francis Epetait, Elijah Okupa, Odonga Otto, Kasiano Wadri, Alice Alaso, Sam Anyolo and Ben Etonu accompanied the minister on the 46 mile journey from Kumi to Soroti railway station where they were met by a crowd of about 3,000 people.