In Uganda there are promises of a Revival of Uganda Airlines that President Amin established 1976 but was abandoned by successive governments for 40 years.

A Uganda Airlines aircraft. An old and obsolete Boeing 707.

Plans are underway to revive the national

carrier with Uganda Development Corporationat the forefront

to ensure that happens now 2015. 

In Uganda, Re-Building the Railway is going to start next month, June 2015 after civil war damage of 40 years:

20 taxi drivers have been arrested and blamed for the massive congestion in the city of Kampala, Uganda.  

Kampala City Council Authority reckons this massive congestion in the city is due to illegal parking of motor cycles, motor-car, buses and lorries:

Drivers of commuter taxis in Kampala have been advised to use the available parks.

PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA

Why a Ugandan government can afford a functional railway transport for KAMPALA INTERNATIONAL CITY.

The Mexico Metro in Mexico, unlike the Delhi one, is built alongside the roads.

By Emmanuel Ainebyoona

Posted Sunday, April 20 2014 at 01:00

IN SUMMARY

Recently, the Kampala Capital City Authorities officials issued an artistic impression of how they plan to introduce fly-overs in the city to solve the traffic jam issue. However, that could not be the best solution. Sunday Monitor’s Emmanuel Ainebyoona looks at the possible options the Authority can explore.

The proposed Kampala flyover project may not solve the transport challenge of traffic jams and congestion in the city unless government urgently invests in alternative means of mass public transport.

Currently, the city’s main means of public transportation are 14-seater omnibuses and motorcycle taxis, popularly known as boda boda. They have enormous limitations in terms of passenger volume and come with a lot of safety risks and inconveniences. As a result, anyone who can afford an old used car, however crappy, is bringing it on the street and clogging the city’s roads further.

A survey done in Kampala early this year by Iganga Foundation titled Smart Moving Kampala, indicates that 24,000 hours are lost each day by commuters due to traffic jams. It pointed specifically at areas near the Old Taxi Park where many streets are blocked by taxis (matatus) waiting to enter the park. This happens daily and the flow of traffic is impossible in the nearby streets.

The situation is not any different at other major routes like Jinja Road – Wampewo intersection, Clock Tower, and KPC – Fidodido junction. Traffic jams have become a day-to-day, hour-to-hour menace here.

Experts have already warned that the current flyover project will offer a short term solution to a long-term challenge. They give an example of Kenya, Uganda’s immediate neighbour which has already undertaken comprehensive flyover projects like Thika Express Highway.

“Roads are becoming smaller and the situation is going to worsen. We need an alternative public transport system which will stop people from buying vehicles,” says Steven Kasiima, the acting head of Traffic Police.

The same view is shared by Dr Kiggundu Amin Tamale, an architecture lecturer at Makerere University and a physical planning expert. He told Sunday Monitor that creating road space will not necessarily solve the transport challenge in Kampala without investing in alternative means.

Thika Express highway, one of East Africa’s infrastructure masterpieces, has lived a lifeline of less than five years but is already experiencing heavy traffic jams at peak hours, a problem it was supposed to solve.

Kenya has now turned to rehabilitating the colonial passenger train system alongside the new standard gauge railway aimed at linking Mombasa to Nairobi. After which, it will connect to the Uganda border at Malaba-Tororo, then Kampala and, perhaps, finally to Kigali.

Currently, Nairobi operates several train stations: Nairobi Railway Station, Syokimau, Makadara, Imara Daima, Kahawa, Dandora, Embakasi and Kikuyu. On average, about 19,000 passengers are transported per day to and from the outskirts of Nairobi by train. This is still small compared to other cities in the world with well-established metro systems but it points to future of urban transportation in Africa.

Nairobi commuters interviewed by the Sunday Monitor said the train is the most cost-effective public transport system in Nairobi with fares as low as Kshs20 (Ushs600).

Uganda has about 1,600km of narrow or metric gauge (1,000mm) railway network, only 330km, less than a quarter is being used for freight services. The one under use is mainly the 190km between Kampala and Tororo-Malaba at the Kenya border. It has other existent but non-functional train routes, Tororo-Mbale-Gulu-Packwach, Kampala-Kasese, Kampala-Port Bell, Kampala-Nalukolongo and Jinja-Mbulamuti-Busembatia (also referred to as the Busoga loop).

A section of the public opines that the huge funding earmarked for the flyover project would rather be injected building a light railway system which will in return reduce congestion on the Kampala road network. Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) has already offered a Shs300 billion grant to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to finance the construction of the flyovers on Jinja Road – Wampewo junction - Mukwano roundabout and Clock Tower junction on Entebbe Road.

Of course, many people will be quick to point at the big cost of such a project and argue that the country does not have money for projects of this magnitude. Interestingly, that is not so; Uganda can afford to put money in long-term city transportation solutions as more money is being spent on less long-term projects, not to mention how much is stolen or misused.

When the Sunday Monitor asked Kampala executive director Jennifer Musisi at a media interaction organised by African Centre for Media Excellence on Wednesday whether by pursuing the flyover project KCCA was not throwing good money into a short-term solution for an otherwise long-term problem, she said that was the work of government and other government agencies to invest into railway systems.

Ms Musisi said as far as they were concerned, JICA had offered to build flyovers and they will follow that, hoping that someone else will offer more money to build a city metro for the long term.

The money

The average cost of constructing a double rail track in Africa’s recent railway projects [Lagos-Kaduna and Abuja-Kaduna] stands at $3.5 million per kiliometre [about Shs8.75b]. The Kampala flyover project is expected to cost about $150 million [about Shs375 billion]. This means this money can fund construction of a double-track of railway line of about 42km. This is slightly shorter than the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, which is projected to be 51km.

The Expressway, whose construction is underway, is expected to cost $476 million (Shs1.19 trillion), the project is likely to be complete by 2016. It is funded by Chinese government through a concessional loan. The project will attract a 2 per cent interest rate repayable to the Exim Bank within 40 years. The road will attract road toll payable by motorists and commuters interested in accessing Entebbe International Airport within 30 minutes.

The six-lane road will cost $9.33 million per kilometre, this is triple the average cost of constructing a double-track dual-gauge railway line in recent projects in Africa. A dual-gauge railway is a line that provides for trains to move in two different directions. This means had the government chosen to put this money into building a railway system, then it could use more or less the same money to build light double railway lines on Kampala-Entebbe, Kampala-Jinja, Kampala-Kyengera, Kampala-Gayaza and Kampala-Port Bell routes.

So what Kampala needs to tame the current traffic mess is invest in a commuter light train system – a Kampala Metro! The Kampala Metro system can cover the Kampala-Entebbe (42km), Kampala-Gayaza (20km), Kampala-Nabbingo (25km), Kampala-Bujuko (25km) – this is along the Mityana highway, and Kampala-Mukono (25km).

In total, this 142km would cost government approximately $497 million, slightly higher than the cost of Kampala-Entebbe Expressway which in any case is not a mass transportation system and is largely aimed at making life easier for those going to the airport and to State House Entebbe.

Bureaucrats and many short term thinkers will say a lot more money will be needed to compensate for land and other properties along the construction line but that should not hold the country hostage. In many places, part of the road reserve could be used and any property within the reserve should be pulled down without compensation. The Nairobi-Mombasa Standard gauge is expected to run besides Mombasa highway. This can be adopted for Kampala.

However, the cost of an inter-city railway varies depending on the size, type and nature of technology to be used. Most developed countries like France, UK, US and Japan, use the high speed line technology which is very expensive. For example, The Haikou-Sanya 308km High Speed Line cost the Chinese $10 million (about Shs2.5b) per kilometre.

Large cities often build metro systems known as underground, subway or tube. The trains are electricity powered by a third rail. They are also separate from other traffic usually without level crossing. They run through tunnels and sometimes on elevated structures (overhead-rail lines).

Underground and elevated railways are more expensive compared to level railway lines common in African countries. Rail lines vary in size by gauge namely; broad gauge 1,676mm, Standard gauge 1,435mm, and narrow gauge 1,000mm.

Uganda able

This implies that Uganda can afford rehabilitating the current train routes for passenger purposes basing on the relative costs involved. Rift Valley Railways (RVR) took over the management of the Uganda railway transport from Uganda Railway Corporation in November 2006 after acquiring 25 years of concession. The same company is currently operating passenger trains in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. On the Ugandan side, not a lot has been done.

In an interview, RVR Western General Manager Mark Rumanyika told the Sunday Monitor that unlike Kenya, RVR in Uganda was not offered a passenger licence as part of the concession in 2006.

“We are in substantive discussions with stakeholders, mostly KCCA, to have operational passenger trains by the end of this year,” said Mr Rumanyika.

Commenting on the passenger trains used to ferry people to Kampala after a taxi operators’ strike a year ago, Mr Rumanyika said government called upon RVR for help and offered them a licence to operate during the strike period.

“We are eager to partner with government to offer our services to the people of Kampala and residents in the outskirts once we get a passenger train licence. We currently have five new coaches parked. We also used them during the Kampala City carnivore to transport people,” he added.

Mr Rumanyika said the line between Tororo, Gulu and Packwach is only awaiting Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to conclude refurbishments of railway crossing intersections.

Many experts argue that with good political will, the country can invest in building extra lines of the rail line intercrossing Kampala.

Advances in technology have also lowered the cost of operating a train transport system, previously trains were using coal but lately, they are electric powered. Uganda has greater hydro-power potential to sustain a train system. The existent rail track can still be upgraded to support train coaches that are electric powered.

In other countries

Elsewhere in the world, countries like Nigeria, Libya, Ethiopia, China, and India have embarked on constructing and rehabilitating their railway transport systems.

The Railway Gazette website lists a 2009 project in Afghanistan as one of the recent railway construction works. The 75km single-track project cost $170 million, slightly higher than the Kampala-Jinja flyover project.

In 2008, Libya began a railway project; a standard gauge, double-track line awarded to Russia Railways for a cost of 2.5 billion Euros ($2.8billion) for 554km. This will cost $5 million per kilometre. It later signed another contract in 2009 with China Railway Construction Corporation for $805 million for 172km railway from Tripoli-Ras Edjer at $4.7 per kilometre.

Furthermore, India Railways has operated a functional train system for many years. It is now planning to introduce new coaches using German technology and phase-out the locally made Linke Holfmann Bush (LBH) Coaches. The LBH coaches have a lifeline of 25 years and cost around Rs1.5 Crore (Shs150 million) per coach. The new LBH AC coaches cost about Rs2.5crore (Shs250 million). They can serve a period of 30 years. Uganda can consider investing is such a long lasting solution to the transport problem in Kampala and beyond as opposed to creating road space.

According the national census of 2002, the population of Kampala stood at 1.2 million people, with the latest estimates projecting it at two million. With a 3.6 population growth rate, Kampala will have an additional one million people in the next 10 years, who will exert more stress on the current road network.

KCCA ekomezzaawo eggaali y’omukka(Train Railways)

Jul 09, 2014

Bya LAWRENCE KITATTA

Ebiyumba bya Train etambulira kumakubo ga Railways eyaliwo edda okuva 1920

                                wano e Buganda ne Kenya.

ABANTU abasoba mu 10,000 be bagenda okukosebwa mu nteekateeka za KCCA ez’okuzzaawo eggaali y’omukka z’erangiridde mu butongole.

Abasinga ku bano be baazimba okumpi n’olugundo lw’eggaali y’omukka nga kati balina ennaku 19 zokka okwamuka ebitundu bino.

Ekiragiro ekyassiddwaako omukono gw’akola nga dayirekita w’okuteekerateekera Kampala, Moses K. Atwine (ne kifuluma nga July 1, 2014), KCCA yalagidde ebizimbe n’ennyumba byonna ebiri mu kibangirizi kya mmita 30 erudda n’erudda w’oluguudo lw’eggaali y’omukka bimenyebwewo mu nnaku 28 nga zino zaatandika okubalibwa okuva nga July 1 omwaka guno.

KCCA ezzeemu okukola okulabula okusembayo

Abatuuze babadde bakyabiyita bya mannyowenu ate eggulo, amyuka omwogezi wa KCCA, Robert Kalumba n’addamu n’aweereza ekiwandiiko ekirala eggulo ng’ekkaatiriza ekyasooka.

Mu kiwandiiko kino, KCCA ezzeemu okukola okulabula okusembayo eri abantu abeesenza ku ttaka ly’eggaali y’omukka. Aba KCCA nga bali wamu n’ekitongole kya Rift Valley Railways (RVR), bagamba nti bazze balabula abantu bano okuva mu 2012 era ne nga July 1, 2014, baatadde ekirango mu mawulire nga kati waliwo okulabula okusembayo. Abaneesisiggiriza bagenda kubasengula ku kifuba, ennyumba oba ekizimbe kye kimenyebwe awatali kuliyirirwa wadde ennusu.

Ebitundu ebikoseddwa

Ebitundu okuli Bbanda, Kinnawattaka Mbuya, Kataza, Namuwongo, ekibangirizi kya makolero (Industrial Area), Nsambya, Namuwongo, Lukka okumpi n’e Bugoloobi, Kibuye, Ndeeba n’e Nalukolongo.

Ebizimbe ebimu okuli eby’amasomero n’abamu abaazimba amasomero ku ttaka ly’eggaali y’omukka bonna baakusengulwa.

Wabula abamu ku batuuze b’ebitundu bino batuula bufoofofo era nga bulijjo abamu baafunye dda balooyo, abagamba nti bagenda kubalwanirira. Bangi bagambye nti tebasobola kuva ku ttaka lino nga tebaliyiriddwa.

Abantu balumiriza nti ekitongole ky’eggaali kyasuubiza okubaliyirira

Annet Atwine omu ku balina ekibanja e Kinnawattaka yategeezezza nti, nze sisobola kuva ku kibanja kyage nti kuba KCCA eragidde tuveewo mu nnaku 28 olwensonga nti balina okutuliyirira era twagulawo na sente okuva ku ba nnannyini bibanja abaasookawo.

Atwine yategeezezza nti, “Wano omwami wange yagulawo mu 1988 kati gy’emyaka 25 nga tuli ku kibanja kino kye twagula ku mugenzi Serapio Lwanga. Ab’ekitongole ky’eggaali y’omukka babadde baakajja emirundi egisoba mw’esatu nga batugamba tuveewo naye nga batugumya nti tebasobola kugobawo muntu yenna nga tebamuliyiridde.”

Yagasseeko nti ku mulundi ogwasembayo, baawulirako nti ne Bbanka y’Ensi yonna (World Bank) yateekawo obuwumbi bw’ensimbi obuwerako okuliyirira abantu abalina ebibanja ku leerwe.

Ali Kiberu, ssentebe wa LC II mu muluka gwa Bbanda B ye yategeezezza nti abantu abasinga abajja ku nkingizzi z’oluguudo lw’eggaali y’omukka abamu baagulanga ku bannannyini bibanja ate abalala bo abavunaanyizibwa ku kulabirira oluguudo be baabaguzanga.

Ayongerako nti, naye kino abantu baakikolanga nga balekayo mmita 6 abavunaanyizibwa ku luguudo lw’eggaali ze baabalagira okulekayo era bo bulijjo bakimanyi nti ze balina okulekayo wabula mu kiseera kino buli omu kyamwewuunyisizza bwe baabawadde ekiwandiiko ekigamba nti buli ali mu kibangirizi ekya mmita 30 buli ludda lwa ggaali.

Pauline Nannyonga, ow’ebyokwerinda e Kataza okumpi ne Bugoloobi mu Nakawa, agamba nti ku lugundo kuno kuliko bbaala nnyingi ng’oluusi abatamidde bakoonebwa eggaali y’omukka kuno kw’ossa obucaafu obususse kuba abasinga tebalina kaabuyonjo.

KAYOOLA(Railway train) Abamu bagyesunga abalala emitima gibeewanise

Kampala | Jul 16, 2014

 Bya HANNINGTON NKALUBO NE LAWRENCE KITATTA

OBULUMI n'essanyu byetobese mu pulojekiti ya KCCA ey'okusengula abakolera mu kibangirizi ky'eggaali y'omukka esuubirwa okutandika mu bbanga lya nnaku 10 zokka okuva kati.

Pulojekiti eno wadde abamu balowooza nti egendereddwaamu kunyigiriza, bangi bagiraba ng'amakula eyalwawo edda okutandikibwa kubanga ejjuddemu ebirungi eri eggwanga lyonna.

Abatuuze batuula dda ku makubo ga railway train kweyayitanga edda

Kibi nyo kubanga entalo za Uganda okujjako abafuzi abaganidde mu

State House zonona bingi muggwanga. Ate entalo zino zilabika nga

                                    tezijja kuggwa.

EBIRUNGI

Egenda kuwewula ku bulippagano bwa mmotoka obuludde nga butawaanya Bannakampala era abasaabaze bangi bagenda kulinnya ggaali ya mukka okutuuka mu Kampala n'okubazzaayo awatali kukwatibwa jaamu.

Ebisale ebisuubirwa okutambuza Bannakampala bigenda kuba wansi wadde bikyakubaganyizibwako ebirowoozo. Tikiti esuubirwa okuba ku 1,500/-.

Endabika y'ebibangirizi ebibadde bizimbiddwaamu abantu egenda kukyuka, ekibuga kitemagane nga bwe kiri ku bibuga ebirala.

Abantu bagenda kufuna emirimu naddala abo abasobola okulabirira n'okukulaakulanya ssaako abakola mu biyumba by'eggaali y'omukka.

     Abayizi nga balinnya amadaala ga railway train egenda okutandiika

      okukola nate mu Uganda nga train eno emaze emyaka mingi olw' entalo

      za Uganda ezijjako abafuzi abaganidde mu State House.

Obubenje bugenda kukendeera ng'abantu batambula bulungi awatali kunyigirizibwa.

Obubbi mu takisi ne ku makubo bigenda kufumwa kubanga poliisi y’egenda okukuuma abasaabaze mu biyumba bino okukakasa nti batambula bulungi.

Mu kiwandiiko kya KCCA kye yafulumizza, abasaabaze abasoba mu 10,000. buli lunaku be basuubirwa okutambuzibwa eggaali y'omukka nga yaakatandika.

Omumyuuka w'omwogezi wa KCCA, Robert Kalumba yagambye nti eggaali esuubirwa okutandika ne luutu nnya olunaku. “Tugenda kutandika n'emirundi ebiri ku makya n'olweggulo kyokka ebintu bwe bineeyongera okutereera nga twongerako," Kalumba bwe yagambye.

N'ategeeza nti pulojekiti eno bagenda kugikolera wansi n'ekitongole ekiddukanya entambula y'eggaali y'omukka mu ggwanga ekiyitibwa Rift Valley Railways (soma RVR).

Yagambye nti okutandika ebibangirizi byonna biteekeddwa okusengulwamu abantu era bavudde mabega nga balabulwa okuvaawo.

"Twasooka kubategeeza basenguke mu ddembe mu 2012. Twabaddamu mu 2013. Kati tubawadde ennaku 28 okwamuka ekifo kino pulojekiti etandike, " Kalumba bw'ayagasseeko.

RIFT VALLEY RAILWAYS [ RVR]

Akulira ekitongole kino Mark Rumanyika yategeezezza nti KCCA erina obuyinza bwonna obukulaakulanya ekibuga era entegeka ezisinga ezirimu wadde bakolaganira wamu nabo.

"Bannakampala bagenda kufuna kinene mu pulojekiti eno era bagiwagire, " Rumanyika bwe yabakubirizza.

OBULUMI OBUGIRIMU

ABANTU abasoba mu 60,000 be bagobeddwa era bakaaba nti tebamanyi waakudda okuggyako nga KCCA ne RVR babawadde ebbanga erimala okwetegeka oba okubagulira ettaka basenguke bulungi nga tewali akukkuluma.

EBITUNDU OMULI ABANTU ABANGI

Nalukolongo -2,000.

Ndeeba - Kibuye 20,000.

Namuwongo 20,000.

Kinnawattaka 10,000.

Banda-Kireka 10,000.

Emiwendo gino giweebwa bakulembeze abatwala ebitundu omuyita eggaali eno.

Ebibangirizi bino mulimu obutale, amayumba agasulwamu, abooza mmotoka n'abasimba ebimuli bonna bagobeddwa.

Omu ku bakulembeze b'akatale k’omu Ndeeba, Fred Kazibwe yagambye nti KCCA ekimanye nti abantu abo bakkirizibwa mu mateeka okukolera mu bibangirizi ebyo.

"Twasaba mu butongole ne tusasula ne ssente era tubadde tukolera wano mu mateeka. Twakyaza ne Pulezidenti Museveni mu katale wano era tumanyiddwa buli wamu. Eby'okumala gatugoba tetubikkiriza," Kazibwe bwe yagambye.

Yawagiddwa abakulembeze mu bitundu ebirala omuyita oluguudo luno ne bategeeza nti tebawakanya nkulaakulana naye babawe obudde ate balowooze n'okubagulira ettaka awalala basengukireko kubanga eno pulojekiti ya gavumenti.

Omu ku batuuze Yafesi Lukutira era ssentebe wa Kinnawattaka Zooni 1 mu muluka gw’e Mbuya 1 yategeezezza nti baagenda mu kitongole kya KCCA okulaba akola ku kuteekerateekera ekibuga, Annet Atwine wabula teyabawulirizza okuggyako okubalabula nti aneesigiikiriza y'anaamanya ebinaddirira.

Yagambye nti tebagaanye kusenguka naye babongere ebbanga kubanga balinako ebintu bingi ku ttaka lino.

Ate ssentebe wa Banda Zooni III John Alya yategeezezza nti tannaba kumanya batuuze gye bagenda kusengukira kubanga obudde bwe baabawadde butono ate bubasanze tebeetegese bulungi.

BANI ABABADDE BAFUNA MU BIBANGIRIZI BINO?

ABAMU ku basuubuzi baategeezezza nti bassentebe b’obutale n’ebyalo omuyita oluguudo lw’eggaali be babadde basinga okufunamu.

Okufuna ekifo obadde oteekwa kusasula naddala mu katale ate n’osasula ne ssente endala eza buli mwezi.

Abamu ku bakungu abaali mu KCC enkadde. Okufuna ekifo w’osimba ebimuli n’okwoleza mmotoka ng’oteekwa kusasula ssente. Abalala bakungu mu kitongole ky’eggaali y’omukka.

Ab’akatale ka Ndeeba balina ebbaluwa eraga nti baasasula ssente 400,000/- okubakkiriza okukolera mu bibangirizi ebyo mu mateeka era bagamba nti bo basooke babagulire ettaka basengukireko.

ABANTU BAASENGA BATYA KU TTAKA LY’EGGAALI Y'OMUKKA?

David Kiberu Ssentebe wa Kinnawattala ye agamba nti oluguudo luno bwe lwali lukolebwa mu myaka gya 1930 bajjajjaffe baawaayo ebibanja byabwe ne bayisaamu oluguudo luno kuba entambula yali ya bwereere.

Era tewali alina kiraga nti ettaka lino bajjajjaffe baali baaliguza ekitongole ky’eggaali y'omukka ate lwayitanga mu bibanja byabwe wakati.

Ab'ekitongole ky’eggaali y'omukka waliwo lwe bajja ne balagira abantu okuvaawo nga kino bakikoze emirundi esatu era n’olwasembayo baagenda bakuba buli omu obufaananyi nga batusuubizza okutusasula.

Rehema Naigaga ye agamba nti nze n'omwami wange tumazeewo emyaka esatu era nga twagula buguzi ekifo ku bukadde 3 ne tuzimbamu amaka era ng’omukyala eyatuguza abeera Kitintale. N'abasinga mu katundu kano ye yabaguza. Kati olwo tulage wa?

Deborah Nalubowa agamba nti abantu abasinga naddala e Banda bajjawo ne bakolerawo obulimu obutonotono ng'okulimirawo n'okubajjirawo era bwe bakolerawo emirimu gino ab'ekitongoke ky’eggaali babategeeza nti bakolerewo naye tebazimba mu kibangirizi ekya mita 15 okuva ku luguudo era abasinga bwe baakola.

Ekyavaamu waliwo abantu ssekinnooomu abaatuukirira abakungu b'ekitongole ky’eggaali y’omukka okutandika okuzimba mu kibangirizi ekya mita 15 ekyali kisigaddewo ne babakkiriza naye ne babagaana okuzimbawo amayumba ag'obuwangaazi kuba ekiseera kyonna gaali gaakumenyebwa.

Kati ekya KCCA okugamba mita 30 buli luuyi nze ndaba kiyitiridde kuba ne leerwe ebadde ejja naye ng'etugamba eyagala mita 15.

ENSONGA BAZITUTE WA PULEZIDENTI MUSEVENI

BAKANSALA ba KCCA ensonga bagyanjulidde pulezidenti Museveni ne bamutegeeza nti pulojekiti y’okuzzaawo eggaali y’omukka nnungi.

Wabula baamusabye akkirize abantu abamu baliyirirwe naddala abo abalinako amayumba ag’obuwangaazi n’ebiwandiiko ebyenjawulo ebikakasa obwannannyini.

Kansala w’e Nakawa Emilly Babirye yeegayiridde Pulezidenti n’ayagala n’okufukamira nti wadde pulojekiti nnungi era naye agiwagira naye waakiri gavumenti eyambe abo abagenda okusengulwa ebaliyirire kubanga gavumenti ssente ezirina.

Babirye yanokoddeyo abatuuze b’e Kinnawattaka abasoba mu 10,000 ate nga balina amayumba ag’obuwangaazi n’agamba nti basooke bayambibwe nga tebannaba kugobwa.

Ate Kansala Godfrey Asiimwe eyayanjudde ensonga ku lwa banne yagambye nti Pulezidenti yakkirizza okutunula mu nsonga z’abalina amayumba n’ebiwandiiko ebituufu era n’alagira nti agenda kwongera okuzeetegereza.

Ebyafaayo bya kayoola ne DAPHNE SEMAKULA

KAYOOLA yakyaka nnyo mu myaka gye 80. Okusooka waabangawo eggaali y’omukka eyatwalanga ente n’embuzi e Kasese naye olw’ebbula ly’ebyentambula eno yaleetebwa mu Kampala n’etandika okusomba abantu.

Eno teyabangamu ntebe ate ng’eyimirira ku siteegi n’eyoola abantu ekyavaako erinnya kayoola. Kayoola yakeeranga ku ssaawa 12:00 ez’oku makya era ng’etuuka mu Kampala ku ssaawa 1:30. Zino zaabanga bbiri.

Emu yavanga Mukono, ng’erina siteegi; Namanve, Bweyogerere, Kireka, Bbanda, Mbuya,Wankulukuku okutuuka ku kitebe ku Leerwe.

Waliwo n’endala eyavanga e Kyengera, Busega, Kibuye nayo n’ekoma ku Leerwe. Okusooka zino zaasabanga 50/- naye ne zirinnya ku 100/-.

Kayoola zino zaatambulanga ku makya n’olweggulo era zettanirwanga nnyo abaana b’essomero n'abakozi.

The Board suspends Uganda National Road Authoritiy managers: 

                MPs drive on the Mukono-Katosi road last week. They had visited the road

                                   to ascertain if construction had commenced.

IN THE CITY OF KAMPALA, UGANDA:

 

The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) Board has suspended four top officials following the controversy surrounding the tender for the construction of the 74km Mukono-Katosi road.

The UNRA board, chaired by Ms Angella Kiryabwire, decided to suspend acting executive director Ssebugga Kimeze, the director of Finance Mr Joe Semugoomu, the director of planning Eng. David Luyimbazi, and Legal Counsel Mr Marvin Baryaruha, until investigations into the award of the tender are concluded.

Ms Kiryabwire on Friday morning said she was still chairing the board meeting that was sitting for the second day running and could not give a substantial comment about the latest developments.

She reffered this newspaper to UNRA director of communications Mr Dan Alinange.

Mr Alinange confirmed the development. “Yes it is true but we have issued a press statement to the media,” he said.

A statement issued by the UNRA board chair Friday afternoon read: “To ensure the vital role UNRA’s roads programme plays in the development of the national economy continues uninterrupted and that investigations are not interfered with in anyway, the UNRA board has decided to suspend some senior staff involved to pave way for proper investigations.”

The statement did not named the suspended officers.

Sources in the board meeting told Saturday Monitor that the board had appointed Eng James Okiror, the UNRA director of operations as acting executive director. All the suspended officials were asked to hand over office and leave on Friday.

This follows a directive by the Inspector General of Government, Justice Irene Mulyagonja, to the UNRA board chair to act on the said officers.

“I told them [UNRA board] to suspend them until we conclude the investigations or until we see its okay for them to get back to office,” Justice Mulyagonja told Saturday Monitor.

Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi a month ago wrote to the IGG asking her to investigate reports that the performance guarantee by Eutaw had failed and that the money deposited in Housing Finance Bank had all been withdrawn.

The police and the Inspector General of Government are investigating corruption allegations and whether the American construction company Eutaw that won the tender, exists. The police is also investigating circumstances under which Shs24.7b, was advanced to the company after the bank guarantee had been withdrawn.

The Police Special Investigations Unit has since questioned several officials, including Mr Semugoomu, and the UNRA accountant Wilberforce Senjako in connection to the payment. Others questioned include Mr Luyimbazi, and Mr Apolo Ssenkeeto, who claims to be the representative of Eutaw Construction Company in Uganda.

The police has also questioned officials of Housing Finance Bank and insurers - Statewide Insurance Company (SWICO) and UAP insurance company over the issuance of bonds that were used to get the Shs24.7 billion. But UAP insurance claimed that they discovered irregularities and cancelled the bond.

The board last week asked the top managers to explain why Eutaw was paid Shs24.7 billion even before the UNRA officials carried out due diligence, which has led to financial loss. The board also wants officials to explain why the money was released after the bank guarantee issued by Housing Finance Bank had been withdrawn.

According to internal UNRA communications, Mr Baryaruha had in a December 4 memo to then acting Executive Director Eng Luyimbazi, asked to travel with Mr Kirumunda to the US to do due diligence.

However, Eng Luyimbazi asked that the team first confirms with the US based company the date they would be able to receive them.

Verification team

Eng Luyimbazi on December 5 wrote to Mr Thomas Elmore the Eutaw Chief Executive Officer asking when the company would be ready to receive the verification team.

“The purpose of this letter is to seek your availability to meet and interact with our officials in this regard,” Eng Luyimbazi wrote.

Mr Baryahuha says the team has since never travelled after Eng Luyimbazi’s directives.

UNRA officials also say they signed the contract because Works minister Abraham Byandala expressly directed in a November 14, 2013 letter that the contract can be signed before due diligence was done.

Mr Byandala has been in the spotlight for disregarding public procurement procedures by directing the roads authority to sign the contract but the minister said he had been advised that the contract could be repudiated if at a later stage, the due diligence report indicated that those representing the company did not have the authority to do so.

Mr Byandala, also faulted his predecessor, Mr John Nasasira, and the minister for the Presidency, Mr Frank Tumwebaze, for orchestrating a smear campaign against him.

Both Mr Nasasira and Mr Tumwebaze have since dismissed the accusation, saying Mr Byandala is using their names as a scapegoat for his woes and asked the embattled Works minister to take responsibility for his actions.

The Finance ministry has since blocked the release of more money to the company after reports emerged that government could have signed the deal with a fictitious company purporting to represent Eutaw in Uganda.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

 

Pioneer bus private company is making a come back in the transport business

 

            There are about 100 Pioneer buses parked and refused to work by government in Uganda.

 

Friday, 29 August 2014

 

Written by Benon Herbert Oluka

 

However, even after the beleaguered company resumes operations, following a nearly two year interruption, it is likely to lock horns with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) over conditions in the new contract.

One of the likely sticking points is the gazetting of bus lanes to enable Pioneer Easy Bus (PEB) commuters to ply the minimum number of daily trips agreed upon in the contract.

In an interview with The Observer on Wednesday, the PEB corporate and legal affairs manager, Esther Kemigisha Tayebwa, said KCCA would have to fulfil its end of the bargain on bus lanes.

“We have an agreement that is giving the [bus] lanes; so, it is an issue of ‘if you are not giving the lanes, then you cannot really expect money from us’ kind of thing,” she said.

“If you can’t give us the lanes within a certain period of time, then don’t expect to tax us at the end of the month.”

According to the contract between KCCA and PEB, the latter is to remit Shs 300,000 per bus to the city authority on a monthly basis. That money is independent of the taxes that it is expected to pay to URA. Tayebwa added that once PEB resumes operations, the company will need to erect bus terminals in different parts of the city, which is likely to put them at loggerheads with a city authority undertaking road infrastructure re-development works.

“We just have to look for land, but KCCA has plans to do their own so that contradicts our own plans. We will see how to share,” she said.

Issues resolved

Having started operations in early 2012 as the contracted provider of public transportation in Kampala, PEB ran into trouble with Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), barely a year later. In February 2013, URA impounded 100 PEB buses over failure to pay tax arrears amounting to Shs 8 billion.

PEB’s tax troubles have since been sorted. In March 2014, PEB signed a memorandum of understanding with URA, giving the bus company the go-ahead to resume operations whenever they were ready.

“We will pay our taxes four months from the time we start operations,” Tayebwa said, adding that the MOU was valid for two years.

Plans to resume operations early this year were, however, put on hold, pending a review of the contract signed with KCCA. According to Tayebwa, a new contract needed to accommodate the interests of authorities in Mukono and Wakiso, since PEB buses would ferry passengers to and from the two districts as well.

“We realised that KCCA’s boundaries are limited to Kampala and yet the buses were going to Mukono and Wakiso,” she said.

In response, KCCA spokesman, Peter Kaujju, said KCCA has not been directly involved in any negotiations between PEB and authorities in Mukono and Wakiso.

“As regards the neighbouring districts, it is a matter outside the jurisdiction of KCCA but consultation is ongoing. Pioneer is at liberty to engage with them,” he said.

The fresh contract, although eventually drafted and agreed upon by all four parties, could not be signed until the government had revised its Road and Public Safety Act to regulate the activities of city commuter buses. Kaujju said the city authority “has only just learnt” of the statutory instrument by the ministry of transport on buses amending the city bus transport regulations of 2011.

“We are reviewing it with a view of engaging Pioneer [bus] on modalities regarding the resumption of services,” he noted.

Nevertheless, Tayebwa says they have cleaned up their house and are only waiting for KCCA and their counterparts from Mukono and Wakiso to set a date when they can sign the contracts that will pave the way for resumption of their services. Asked how they would resume operations before KCCA fulfils pending issues such as bus lanes and terminals, Tayebwa said they would “have to enter negotiations” to ensure that those conditions are met along the way.

“Everyone has their obligations and they have to meet their obligations,” she said. “What we have agreed [so far] is that where it is possible, they are going to put the lanes, for example that [newly-expanded] road from Nakawa to ministry of Internal Affairs.”

Fresh start

At the time of its suspension, PEB had purchased 100 buses and planned to bring in a similar number, progressively, until it met the 522 total agreed with KCCA. With some of the buses purchased using bank loans, Tayebwa said PEB shareholders had had to shoulder the burden of repaying the banks during the suspension of its services.

“This was a financed business; so, it is still being charged monthly. Shareholders are chipping in but also the banks have been kind enough to halt some of the penalties. We are looking at only the interest,” she said.

PEB, who vacated their offices at Plot 31, Mpanga Close, Luthuli avenue in Bugolobi, sent its staff of at least 400 personnel on indefinite unpaid leave, pending a resolution of the problems that halted their work. Tayebwa said all their employees who were still available would get their jobs back when the company resumes operations.

According to Tayebwa, the company will be under largely new management when it returns to work, and is currently improving its transport fare management systems.

“The fare structure is going to be only strictly cards,” she said. “We are also talking with some telecoms to see how we can use mobile money so that it is easy for people to pay.”

 

 

More new buses drive down emissions in London, UK.

 

                          Bus zino zirina enzinji ssatu be ddu okuyamba okuyingiza

                                      nokufulumya abasabaze mubwangu.

Ate no ebyo ebyokuwuuta amafuta tebirimu. Amafuta mpozzi Agamunaku Tadooba gatambuza bus                                                                            zino.

 

 

07 October 2014

 

More iconic New Routemasters are set to hit the London capital's streets.

By mid-November, route 453, between Deptford Bridge and Marylebone station, will be served entirely by the new open-platform buses. During peak hours, 35 of the state-of-the-art New Routemasters will be in service, carrying the 28,000 passengers who travel on the route each week day.

The buses will operate with the rear platform closed when moving, with large numbers of passengers able to quickly board and alight at bus stops using all three sets of doors and two staircases.

 

Targeting emissions

 

The introduction of the new vehicles is part of a programme to reduce emissions from London's bus fleet. The average fuel consumption is almost 50 per cent lower than the buses that operated on the routes before them.

Eight bus routes are currently being served by around 260 New Routemasters. Route 453 becomes the ninth.

TfL has committed to introducing 600 New Routemasters on the capital's streets by 2016, which will reduce CO2 emissions by around 20,600 tonnes a year.

 

 

Why in Kampala city in Uganda, taxi drivers keep hiking fares: (Ennaku yo munaku tegya kuggwa wano).

 

           A passenger pays the fare. Many passengers find that the charges increase,

                             at peak hours, on rainy days and during festive seasons.

 

Posted  Monday, October 6  2014

 

 

Ebyuma ebyawula oluguudo bibobbya ab’oku Kaleerwe omutwe:

 

Kaleerwe, Kampala | Oct 23, 2014                           

 

Bya MOSES LEMISA

 

Oluguudo okuva ku nkulungo y’oku Bbiri baalutekamu ebyuma ebirwawulamu emirundi ebiri nga buli ludda lutambuza mmotoka bbiri wabula ebifo ebisalibwamu abantu okugenda okugula emmere n’ebintu ebirala baalekawo bisatu ekisooka kiri mu maaso g’essomero lya Yudesi, mu maaso ng’essundiro ly’amafuta (Shell) n’ekirala kiri kumpi n’ekikubo ekidda ewa Kibe nga waakava ku nkulungo y’oku Bbiri nawo baateekawo.

Wiiki eno aba UNRA baasalawo okuziba ebifo bino ne bateekamu ebyuma ne balekawo omuntu w’ayinza okwenyiga n’ayitawo nga kino kati kyongende okugoba abantu ababadde bagula emmere ku Kaleerwe okuddukira e Bwaise ng’abamu bagamba nti tebalina gabuuka byuma.

Okuva lwe baateekawo ebyuma bino abasuubuzi bagamba nti abaguzi abasinga baabaddukako naddala ab’emmotoka nga tebalina we bayisa mmotoka ate n’ebifo ebisimbwamu mmotoka nabyo bagamba nti baateekawo bitono nga bw’oba ova Gayaza olina kusimba ku siteegi eri okumpi n’oluguudo lwa Mawanda.

Ibrahim Kamihanda omumyuka wa meeya w’e Kawempe, yategeezezza nti aba UNRA be baatadde ebyuma bino mu luguudo okusobola okuziyiza aba bodaboda, ab’ebigaali, ababadde bavaako obubenje mu bifo abantu we basalira.

Yagambye abantu baabalekeddewo amabanga we basobola okusalira.

Ebyuma ebyawula oluguudo bibobbya ab’oku Kaleerwe omutwe.

 

Okuzimba subway ne pedestrian flyover ku dual carriage ways kiyamba abatuuze bano abasiiba babonabona ne nzimba eya Laisi eri mu kuzimba enguudo ze kibuga Kampala.

 

Death of the Kampala-Bombo railway around 1930s just as World War II was about approaching:

Interesting colonial tractor trains that failed to take off during the 1920s in Uganda.

 

By henry Lubega

Posted  Sunday, March 15  2015

 

Back to 1926. Did you know that the famous Kalerwe Market on Gayaza Road was once a train stage and that it is where the suburb draws its name? That there was a train station in Gayaza Trading Centre and that at one time there was a railway from Kampala to Bombo via Mulago-Kawempe?

 

 

The construction of the Uganda Railway in the hinterland opened new private ventures of owning private railways, spreading out in other parts of the country feeding onto the main line. For the case of Uganda, two such railways were constructed. They included the Port Bell-Kampala (Mono Rail) which operated between 1909 and 1914 and the Kampala-Bombo (Road-Rail) that operated from 1923 to 1926.

The construction of the Kampala- Bombo road-rail was as a result of the consistent demand from the Uganda Chamber of Commerce and the Planter’s Association to the legislative council. A trial stretch was laid in 1920 from Kampala to Kawempe though the line from Kampala to Bombo did not operate commercially until April 1, 1923. The following year, a branch of the Kampala–Bombo line to Gayaza was opened.

This line was built mainly to facilitate the transportation of cotton from Bulemezi to Kampala, though there are speculations that it was built to ease transportation of military hardware to Bombo, hence it being known in some circles as the military railway.

Writing in the Uganda Journal of March 1963, W. J. Peal says the railway used the Loco-Tractor system invented by Frank Duntton of the South African Railways Motor Transport Department.

 

“The major feature of these tractors was their large driving wheels which operated outside the rails on the roadway,” Peal says, and goes ahead to explain that the people behind these Loco-Tractors “claimed that it was capable of handling heavy loads on considerably steeper gradients than could be achieved by conventional railway locomotives.”

After the demonstration on August 26, 1920, of how the Loco-Tractor was to work, the Uganda Herald newspaper praised the new transport venture, saying: “Thus in a simple way has come what will in all probability prove to be the solution of the transport problems in the protectorate for if the tractor will do only half what is claimed for the results will be far reaching indeed. To H.E (His Excellency) who originated the idea of this form of transport in the protectorate are due the thanks of the community.”

Developing the railway

While going for his annual leave in 1919, governor Sir Robert Coryndon left instructions with the then director of public works (the equivalent of minister of Works) Mr Claude Espeut to go ahead with experiments on the railway as soon as possible. Tracks were bought from the War Salvage Board for experimental purposes and a 300-yard (274-metre) track was laid near the Kampala station for the trials which were carried out in February 1920.

The acting governor reported back to the colonies office saying: “The trials should be discontinued as they will take a much longer time to bear fruits yet the country’s transport needs were immediate.”

He went on to say: “The cost of constructing another proposed road-rail from Mbale to Majanji would cover the cost of sufficient motor vans for the entire protectorate.”

The secretary to the colonies having got the report from the acting governor informed the Uganda Chamber of Commerce that such a venture was not going to be possible.

In his cable to the governor, on leave in London, dated March 10, 1920, the secretary told governor Coryndon that “no progress was being made with the Loco-tractor experiment since proofs of successful works would have to provide strong reasons for loan assistance for the development of internal transport”.

However, the governor insisted on having the project continue and he directed the director of public works to go ahead with the construction of a five-mile track, against the advice of all those concerned with the improvement of transport system in the country.

The Uganda Herald of March 26, 1920, voiced the concerns about the Uganda Development Commission about the commercial viability of having such railway transport in the country.

According to Peal, two people influenced the governor in disregarding the advice against the project. “First was Frank Worthington, the governor’s brother in-law, acting on behalf of road-rail Company in Uganda, who in September 1920 had applied to have his company construct the Mbale-Majanji railroad. The other was Major E. A. T. Dutton, the secretary to the governor and a relative to Frank Dutton, the inventor of the railway system,” Peal says.

By the time of Coryndon’s return from leave, the track from Kampala to Kawempe was complete and the trial run was done in August 1920. The experiment locomotive was a converted Ford Box motorcar from which the front axle and wheels had been removed to fit a rail bogie. The experiment journey from Kampala to Kawempe was covered in 12 minutes with a cotton cargo of three tons.

Commenting on the experiment, The Uganda Herald of September 24, 1920, reported: “Perhaps more important, it convinced the members of the Chamber of Commerce of the potential of the road-rail.”

In the Chamber of Commerce’s next sitting after the experiment from Kampala to Kawempe, it was resolved that “the chamber approves of the decision of the government to order a further 50 miles to be laid along Bombo Road. The chamber would welcome the opportunity of giving its opinion on the most suitable routes for any extension to be placed”.

Sir Coryndon’s interest in the railway became a point of discussion in all his speeches after the experiment. During his speech at the opening of the first Uganda Legislative Council as president in March 1921, he talked of how other countries as far as central Europe, India, and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) were interested in learning from the Uganda experiment.

One of the main attractions of the railway was how it was laid along the edge of the existing roads, for it to serve the public better by going through existing towns and villages. Some sections of the public were disappointment when government decided to reroute the Bombo railway along the Kitante valley from South Street because some sections of the drainage on Bombo road were badly affected during the rainy season.

Another reason was that it was better for the railway not to run through the centre of Kampala in order to avoid traffic distraction and the necessity to maintain level crossings.

Two tractors imported

Upon completion of the construction of the track, two tractors were imported in mid-1922, however, in a joint report by the directors of public works and that of transport -- G.N.

Loggin and Major R.B. Hill respectively -- titled the Stronach-Dutton system of road rail transport as in operation in the Uganda protectorate, they stated: “As these two tractors were the first to be constructed much trouble and expense had been incurred locally in remedying the defects in both engines and chassis.”

In February 1923, the Uganda Chamber of Commerce complained of the slow rate at which progress in the opening of the track was taking ahead of the year’s cotton harvest season. However, on April 1, 1923, commercial operation of the track commenced, transporting 3,700 tons of cotton by the end of the season, generating £1,812 against an expenditure of £2,341.

The two tractors did not perform to expectation and had to be replaced. The replacements arrived in May 1924. On their arrival, the Uganda Herald, which had now become critical of the project which they had initially praised, reported in its May 16 edition that: “Such huge things –so very powerful and very heavy that they will probably necessitate the relaying of the track wheel ways.”

“Wait and see or weight and sink,” it concluded in a sarcastic way.

 

The new tractors faced a lot of difficulty in operating as they were run using wood fuel, but after intervention from the foreman from the Busoga Railway (another private company running a railway line there), they started performing to expectations.

The railway’s challenge was the 1924 season when it had more than 100 tonnes of cotton to transport from Bombo to Kampala daily but could only manage 15 tonnes per trip, making only 46 trips in the entire cotton peak season between March and May.

The tone of a letter from the director of transport to the chief secretary back in London summed up the disappointment of the protectorate government in the railway services: “Again the movement of cotton by the rail-road from Bombo is at a standstill.”

With that poor performance, the Chamber of Commerce and the Ginner’s Association complained in June 1924, leading to the creation of a commission of inquiry headed by Maj Rhodes, the chief engineer of the Uganda railway.

The commission was to find the causes of the failures of the roadway system. Rhodes’s commission concluded that the tractors would have been more efficient using coal than wood or paraffin, and that there was need for improvement in the maintenance. He also suggested that the system should be kept in service than closing it down.

In 1925, the Uganda railway recorded its highest transport tonnage, but the following year it nosedived to its lowest. The fall was due to handling procedures at Kampala station, forcing ginners to resort to sending their cotton direct to Port Bell by motor vans than the railway.

In November 1926, it was realised that the railway was a bad proposition and that it was not a profitable venture. During the December Legislative Council meeting, the acting governor reported to the council that the traffic on the railway was disappointing mainly because of competition from the native-owned lorries and announced that the system was to be closed on December 31, 1926.

About Train sheds

Sheds big enough to accommodate a train were built at Kampala, Bombo and Gayaza, each measuring 116ft by 25ft. The tracks passed through the shed at one side leaving a working platform for offloading. At Kawempe and Mulago stations there was a provision for a turnaround.

According the Sir Albert Cook’s book Uganda Memories, he says: “The shed at Gayaza was pulled down in 1928 and re-erected at Ndejje as part of the nurses training school being started by lady A. R. Cook.”

The place where this nurse training school once stood is the present day Nalinya Lwantale School in Ndejje.