Northern MPs pile pressure on government over RVR deal delay

“The president seems to be in favour of a quick conclusion of the concession but something is not right somewhere; that is what we want to find out from the prime minister and the line ministers,” said Mr Ogong.

The northern region feels that given the current focus on regional and African integration, the northern line holds great promise for the area because it is the logical route for future connections to the DR Congo, Juba, Khartoum and eventually Cairo.

At best, the delays are being interpreted as insensitivity to the plight of the region by a bureaucracy whose priorities are elsewhere.

“All northern MPs are one on this and we will need compelling reasons to be convinced otherwise,” Mr Ogong said.

Although the Kampala- Mombasa sector will remain the backbone of the operation in terms of generating revenue and meeting commitments to increase cargo haulage on the network to 15 million tonnes a year, RVR has adopted a futuristic view that focuses on the mid to long-term value that the branch lines will bring to the business.

According to current estimates, it would take the better part of two years to put the branch lines back in operation. 

Out of business for more than 20 years, the lines are again in contention on the back of Uganda’s oil discoveries and prospects for revival of the mining and agricultural sector in north and western Uganda.