Uganda Railways Corporation requires sh6b for locomotive repairs

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Four years ago, there was public uproar after it emerged that four used locomotives Uganda had procured from Grindrod, a South African firm, at over shillings 40 billion, were incompatible with the local railway gauge.

The revelation surfaced in November 2021 during an engagement between the Parliament Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) and Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) Workers Union secretary general Victor Byemaro. The committee was at the time chaired by Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi, who is now Leader of the Opposition (LOP).

“They imported these locomotives, not knowing that they were too long for the triangles. Because from Mombasa they came facing this way, and they are supposed to turn and face that way when heading back to Kenya. But now, they can’t turn because they are too long for the triangles. The triangles are short and the locomotives are too long,” Byemaro told MPs.

“Unfortunately, since they arrived, up to now they are packed in the workshop,” he added.

Locomotives sick

While the problem had been amicably solved by the widening of the turning junctions, also known as Triangles, URC managing director Benon Kajuna, while appearing before COSASE on August 6, 2025, informed MPs that two of these are undergoing repairs.

“The fact is that you, as URC, bought four locomotives, not eight. And in addition, they bought two reach stackers (cranes). Now, out of the four locomotives, only two are working. The two are in a workshop,” Kajuna said.

Something URC chief operations officer Abubaker Ochaki attributed to a variety of factors.

“One, these locomotives we bought were not brand new because of the timing. At that time, it was COVID and much of the cargo was being moved by rail, and we did not have any engines. It was decided that we buy available locomotives at that time, and they were second-hand. We bought them well knowing because we needed a faster transaction,” Ochaki disclosed.  

“That’s why you see these locomotives are sick, they are not dead. In Railway language, we have these two terms. They are sick because they need spares to be able to work again,” he added. 

Chipping in, committee chairperson Medard Lubega Ssegona said, “The worst decision a poor man can ever make is buying an old item. An old car should be bought by a rich man because they can keep repairing it all the time.”

Fast forward to today, the corporation requires shillings six billion to repair nine locomotives and approximately 300 wagons.

MPs react

Bukhooli County Islands MP Peter Okeyoh (NRM) asked whether URC had explored other available locomotive options before turning to South Africa.

In response, Ochaki told the committee that they had conducted inquiries. He explained that around three years ago, Kenya had just begun ramping up its own railway investments and was facing similar challenges.

At the time, he added, there were no companies in Kenya owning or leasing out locomotives. However, Elgon North MP Gerald Nangoli (NRM), who was part of COSASE, then disagreed.

“We went up to Kenya following that matter and met one engineer who was your (URC) consultant then. I may not be able to recall his name. That engineer had recommended that they get locomotives from Kenya, I think they had some which they were disposing of by then, which were far better than those of South Africa,” Nangoli said.