Frequently Asked Questions

Land acquisition process is a continuous process depending on availability of funds. The process started from Tororo and so far compensation has been done in eight districts (Tororo, Butaleja, Namutumba, Luuka, Iganga, Bugweri, Mayuge and Jinja) as of early 2025.

Yes! The programme design is such that there will be majority local participation in the unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and management levels.

Employees shall be recruited on merit and no one will be charged in order to secure a job with the Project.

Government and its partners will use official channels including media to publicise job openings as well as work closely with city/district/municipality/lower local government authorities to notify the public about job requirements and availability.

No! There is no mandatory testing for HIV/AIDS. Confidential medical tests will only be done if required for specific reasons.

There are national policies that promote mutual co-existence, respectful, non-abusive and non-exploitative interaction between the contractor and the community.

Yes, the SGR project remains an equal opportunity employer for all gender, age and religious sects for persons above 18 years old.

The project will follow strict rules and regulation of engaging with community according to the laws and regulation of Uganda. Thorough sensitization will be undertaken to prevent harassment and exploitation

Grievance Redress Mechanisms are in place to address complaints. The SGR project also has regional area management offices spread across the 12 corridor districts. Feel free to visit any of them physically or call respective numbers which are available on the website.

The Project has a Grievance Redress Mechanisms which ensures complaints are handled on time depending on the nature of the complaint.

Monitoring and evaluation will be done at various levels and local governments as major stakeholders are part of the process.

The Project has been designed to avoid traversing wetlands and forests. In areas where it has been inevitable to cross these sensitive eco-systems, the Project has opted for designs that minimize negative environmental impact on these eco-systems.

We are going to do environmental restoration along the corridor including tree planting.

Discussions are currently ongoing to see how the contractor can support the community.

The Metre Gauge Railway (MGR) has technical and capacity limitations, however Government is rehabilitating it as a stop gap measure. The SGR will have higher cargo capacity and speeds for Uganda’s expanding economy.

The project has identified and documented all graves, shrines and worship places within and around the corridor. For the graves, shrines and worship areas that cannot be protected during the project implementation, the Project engages the relevant stakeholders and compensates them before relocation while maintaining the heritage and virtues of the affected entities.

The single track is viable to meet the current transportation needs and the projections for the medium and long term.

The proposed SGR is majorly designed for freight and all major design parameters are for freight railways.

60kg/m rails is being used.

Uganda is developing her SGR as an electric traction outright because the country has enough electricity in its energy pool.

Projects of this nature are better delivered under the EPC/Turnkey FIDIC conditions of contract because of the complexity in exhausting all risks and carrying out exhaustive pre-procurement tests to inform the final design and costs. To safeguard the client, EPC mode is applied since the very experienced contractor takes up all the risks.

It offers a high level of riding comfort.

Each train will have the capacity to carry 4,000 gross tonnes.

After compensation, government begins the process of land expropriation which involves titling the portion of land paid for. Under corridor protection, the area management office coordinates routine and periodic inspection and clearance of corridor to protect the land from encroachers.

The project is using the MGR corridor land as much as possible. However, to achieve the desired speed, the SGR design diverts from the MGR into new right of way in some arears.

The exchange will take place at Malaba Marshalling Yard on the Ugandan side.

Government will retain the responsibility of operating and maintenance of the railway infrastructure

Yes, the EPC/T contract has a provision of Local Content of up to 40% of the total contract sum. The Project has an approved Local Content Strategy which will be a basis for the local content implementation.

There will be jobs as well as works and services’ opportunities in sectors like supply of construction materials (cement, steel, gravel, aggregates etc.), legal, security services, petroleum products, consultancy services, and vehicle hire among others.

An EPC/Turnkey construction contract has been signed and Government is currently in discussions with potential financiers. Construction will commence as soon as financial closure is achieved.

The SGR will have a comparative advantage of high reliability, affordability, maintainability and safety over the roads which will attract the end user.

• Each passenger train will carry 960 passengers.
• Each freight train will carry 4,000 gross tonnes.
• The trains will move at speeds of 100Kph and 120kph for freight and passengers respectively.
• The trains will be electric. Therefore, no noise, more comfort and eco-friendly.
• Travel time from Mombasa to Kampala will be one day

Because of the high grades of concrete required of the railway structures, input materials especially of steel and cement require special supplies to meet the quality and performance of the railway.

The difference is that railway bridges are stronger than road bridges because of the huge difference in dynamic loading.

The SGR network in Uganda will comprise three major routes with a total route length of about 1,724 KM. Phase one is the 272KM Eastern Route, Malaba- Kampala, Second is the Northern Route via Tororo-Gulu-Nimule/Gulu- Pakwach- Vura approximately 751KM, the Western Route through Kampala-Bihanga/Mirama Hills/ with a branch to Bihanga-Kasese-Mpondwe which is 662KM. The SGR Project is also mandated to develop the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA) Light Rail Mass Transit (LRT) system with a total length of about 240KM. 

SGR development is being undertaken as a regional project with the neighbouring countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo and South Sudan

Using International and national legal framework, the first step is Preliminary stakeholder engagement and sensitization followed by feasibility studies. The survey team then establishes the Right of Way which is then pegged accompanied by further sensitization and engagement. The survey and valuation team then assess the land after which draft reports are prepared and submitted to the chief government valuer (CGV). Any modifications are made basing on comments from CGV and the report is sent back to CGV for approval. After approval the report strip maps are then displayed at the villages and sub-counties for Project Affected Persons (PAPs) to confirm and ascertain their properties and items on the land. After display, compensation values are disclosed and upon acceptance, PAPs are then paid. PAPs are then given vacation notices which stipulates that they must vacate the land within 90 days. The project then takes possession of the land.