KAMPALA, Feb 24 – Uganda plans to connect its planned Standard Gauge Railway to Tanzania’s rail network, creating direct access to the port of Dar es Salaam and opening a new export route for minerals, according to a government document from the Ministry of Works and Transport.
The proposed link would allow Uganda to transport commodities such as gold, copper and iron ore through Tanzania instead of relying mainly on Kenya’s port of Mombasa, which currently handles most of the country’s external trade.
The document said the line would start at the Tanzania border, run through southern and southwestern Uganda and end at Mpondwe near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Authorities said the objective is to connect mineral rich regions in both countries to the Indian Ocean port while reducing transport time and shipping costs.
Uganda is already constructing an SGR line intended to connect its mining regions to Kenya’s railway system. However, officials now want a second outlet through Tanzania to diversify export corridors and improve logistics reliability.
The African Development Bank may fund feasibility and preparatory studies for the project. The bank said it is considering support for preparation activities and may finance the railway if the project meets lending requirements.
The railway could later extend to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which may link its network to the line and this connection would support cross border trade and movement of goods within the East African region.
The proposed railway would provide Uganda with an additional export corridor through Tanzania’s port of Dar es Salaam, offering an alternative to existing routes used by landlocked exporters.
Authorities have not announced a construction timeline, and a spokesperson for the Ugandan ministry was not immediately available for comment.
