Ugee

Uganda and Kenya agree on joint Ministerial Commission

Uganda and Kenya have agreed to set up a joint ministerial commission to expedite the construction of a railway line that links the 2 East African countries to Southern Sudan and Eastern Congo, news from Media Center Kampala. The decision has been taken today during talks between President Yoweri Museveni and President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya. The talks took place at State House, Nairobi. President Museveni also held talks today with Kenya’s Prime Minister, Mr. Raila Odinga. The meeting took place at Hotel Inter-continental. President Museveni, in Kenya for talks with Kenyan leaders, arrived in the country yesterday to attend the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which is scheduled to begin tomorrow in Nairobi. During the meeting in State House Nairobi, President Mwai Kibaki and his guest agreed to set up a joint Ministerial Commission to expedite the construction of the railway line and modalities on its future management. The joint Ministerial Commission will comprise the 2 countries’ Ministers of Transport, Finance and Attorneys General of the two countries. Work on the railway line will commence in March next year. In order to speed up transportation of goods to and from Mombasa Port, the 2 leaders agreed that Uganda build its depot at Mombasa Port. The Kenyan government will provide land for the construction of this depot and Uganda will compensate Kenya with land currently under the army at Kitante. The 2 leaders agreed that in order to ensure that goods and services from East Africa compete favourably at international markets the railway line must be cheaper and efficient. According to figures available, China spends one cent per ton on transport, USA 2 cents per ton, Kenya spends 6 cents while Uganda spends 10 cents per ton. The 2 leaders said that this must be addressed if the region is to benefit from international markets. Other areas discussed included ICT and infrastructure development which the 2 leaders said were the prime movers and necessary accelerators of development in the 2 countries and the region as a whole. President Museveni extended an invitation to President Mwai Kibaki to pay a state visit to Uganda which the Kenyan leader readily accepted. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Works, Engineer John Nasasira, and Uganda’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Brigadier Matayo Kyaligonza and several Kenyan Ministers and government officials.

 

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