Govt to Acquire 30-Metre Corridor for SGR Power Line, PAPs to Be Compensated

What the report says

Uganda’s government plans to acquire a 30-metre corridor along the proposed Standard Gauge Railway route from Malaba to Kampala to make room for a dedicated electricity transmission line that will help power the railway. According to Nile Post, the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) says the power project is a key part of the SGR’s planned electric traction system.

The article says people whose land or property is affected will be compensated before construction begins. UETCL has also hired GESCH Consult Limited to carry out a feasibility study and define the project’s scope. The plan includes five traction power substations along the corridor, linked to the national grid through 132kV lines and connected to places including Tororo, Nagongera, Buwoola, Iganga, Nyenga and Mukono.

A stakeholders’ engagement in Tororo Municipal Council Chambers brought together company representatives and local officials. The company’s officer Martha Rwabona urged communities to cooperate so the project is not delayed, while local leaders pressed UETCL for fast, fair compensation and said residents should be considered for jobs during construction.

The project matters because the SGR power line is meant to improve electricity reliability for the railway and reduce technical losses along the route. In broader terms, large infrastructure projects in Uganda often depend on land acquisition and compensation processes, which can affect timelines when not handled promptly.