In eastern Africa, Uganda is making progress in restoring railways that were devastated by civil war. The background to this is underdeveloped public transportation and severe traffic congestion and air pollution. With the entry of foreign capital, expectations are rising for the economic effects of an international railway connecting neighboring countries.
Rusty rails are buried in summer grass. The iron sleepers bear the engraved year “1929”. These are relics from the British colonial era. “It seems they used to transport tobacco and cotton,” a local resident said in a rural area near Gulu in the north.
Planned as Part of Colonial Policy
Kampala Station
Kampala Station is the main railway station in Uganda’s capital, serving as a central hub for the country’s rail network. It was originally established during the British colonial era in the early 20th century as part of the Uganda Railway, which was famously known as the “Lunatic Express.” Today, the station is a key transit point for both passengers and cargo, connecting Kampala to other major towns and to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
Gulu
Gulu is a city in northern Uganda that historically served as a hub for trade and the colonial administration. It is most widely known for being severely affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency and the resulting humanitarian crisis from the late 1980s until the mid-2000s. Today, it is a major economic and administrative center for the region and a gateway for tourism to Murchison Falls National Park.
