NAIROBI, October 28 – Kenya and Uganda have agreed to expedite the development of an efficient railway system that will link the port of Mombasa with Kampala, Southern Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Speaking on Tuesday during bilateral talks at State House Nairobi, President Mwai Kibaki and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni directed that a Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) be established to work on ways of developing a new standard-gauge railway line that will reduce transport costs.
The JMC, which will comprise Finance and Transport Ministers and Attorney-Generals of Kenya and Uganda, will also be charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the operations of the existing concessioned railway line meets the aspirations of the Governments and people of the two countries.
The two Heads of State stressed that an efficient railway line was the most viable and affordable means of transporting goods and people within the two countries and the region as a whole.
President Museveni arrived in the country last evening to hold bilateral talks with President Kibaki. The Ugandan leader will also join other leaders for a two-day IGAD summit in Nairobi.
They also discussed other areas of infrastructure development including energy and ICT, which they said were prime movers in accelerating development in Kenya and Uganda.
The two leaders further reaffirmed their commitment and support to the East African Community (EAC) integration process and the Agreement signed by the three trading blocs of EAC, COMESA and SADC on October 22 this year in Kampala during the tripartite summit.
They also discussed the situation in Somalia and emphasised the need for concerted efforts by the African Union to bring sanity in Somali’s territorial waters, which have become increasingly dangerous due to frequent pirates attacks on vessels plying the gulf of Eden.
Present were Environment and Acting Finance Minister John Michuki, Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere and Attorney-General Amos Wako among others.
