Chinese firm commits to building Standard Gauge Railway in Uganda

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has reaffirmed its commitment and interest in building sections of the Standard Gauge Railway in Uganda.
This commitment was made by the President of CHEC, Mr. Lin Yichong in a meeting with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Standard Gauge Railway at the company headquarters in Beijing, China.
Yichong said that the company intends to use local materials and labour from Uganda. He added that CHEC had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces for training of construction workers with the establishment of a college in Tororo. “CHEC is committed to enhancing Ugandan economy by building and boosting the local industries, employing of Ugandans and ensuring minimum damage to the environment,” Yichong added.
The governments of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan have committed to increase the capacity and to invest efficiently in railway transport by building a standard-gauge railway connected between Mombasa and Malaba (with branch to Kisumu) and then Kampala, Kigali (with branch to Kasese) and Juba (with branch to Pakwach).