Proposed New Railway line(In red)
The official launch of the first phase of a 521km Isaka – Kigali Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) between Rwanda and Tanzania may not start as soon as expected.
In January this year, a communiqué that was signed by transport Ministers from both countries indicated that the project would be launched in October 2018.
However, the launch seems like it could delay.
The State Minister for Transport in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Eng. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye told KT Press last week: “There is nothing much to update on the project. We are still in the designs phase as well as looking for the funds,” he said.
During the release of the communiqué early this year, the Ministers agreed to adopt feasibility studies that were previously concluded in both countries – Rwanda and Tanzania.
Construction of the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR. Rwanda says Isaka-Kigali SGR project in the making.
They also agreed on the replicate of the Design and Build of Dar es Salaam –Murogoro-Makupuro phase to Isaka – Kigali SGR, “for the purpose of uniformity of standards.”
The Ministers also “agreed to jointly mobilize funds for construction where each country should meet the cost of construction in its own territory.
During budget presentation early this month, Finance Minister Dr. Uziel Ndagijimana was asked by MPs why the Isaka-Kigali Railway project was not included in the budget.
The Minister said that they could not include the SGR because they had not yet secured funds for the project.
