Railway Land Evictions to Start Nationwide on October 12, URC Warns

What the report says

Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) says it will begin a nationwide operation on October 12, 2026, to remove illegal settlements and structures from railway reserve land. According to Nile Post, the exercise will target encroachment along several corridors, including the Kampala-Ndeeba-Natete-Kyengera-Bujuuko route toward Kasese, the Kampala-Kireka-Namboole-Namanve-Mukono-Jinja-Malaba line, and the Tororo-Gulu-Pakwach corridor. URC also listed areas such as Masindi, Arua and the Busoga railway line.

The corporation said illegal structures within its reserve will be demolished, including buildings that only partly extend onto railway land. It also warned that titles covering railway reserve areas will be addressed, with demolitions and title cancellations to be handled alongside the Ministry of Lands. URC said people who refuse to leave may be arrested and prosecuted.

URC said the move is meant to free up land for planned rehabilitation, future expansion and broader improvements to railway corridors, including greening initiatives. It also warned pedestrians against using railway lines as walkways, saying this can endanger lives and damage track foundations by disturbing ballast. As described by the publisher, the railway reserve is 100 feet on either side of the line, with wider limits at level crossings and stations.

The announcement comes amid a wider government push to recover railway land and restore corridors for transport use. In general, rail authorities in many countries clear encroachments before infrastructure upgrades, but Nile Post’s report specifically focuses on URC’s planned enforcement campaign in Uganda.