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Tanzania | Published On: Thu, Dec 29th, 2011
The government has dispelled fears that the proposed multi-billion-shilling railway project from Tanga,Arusha to
Musoma and Kampala will run through theSerengeti National Park.
A story published in a Uganda local daily reported that conservationists in Uganda are against the move noting that it is
against International conservation treaties and will affect seasonal migration of wildebeests through the park.
The Acting Director of Economic Infrastructure and Social Services department, in the Ministry of East African
Cooperation, Dr Bartholomew Rufunjo, said the railway project will not run through the park.
Dr Rufunjo was briefing journalists on the implementation of the various EAC infrastructure projects inDar es Salaam
on Thursday.
"We highly respect and consider environmental impact assessments reports in such matters. The railway line will not
go through the Serengeti Park," he explained.
According to the report, Uganda and Tanzania entered into a 3 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a
Chinese construction company for the development of three ports and a railway line that will link Musoma to Kampala.
The report also noted that the signing of the MoU enables the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company to begin
conducting a feasibility study worth about $450 million for the proposed railway route.
It will run from Tanga port to Musoma on the shores of Lake Victoria and link with Kampala on the side of Uganda.
Dr Rufunjo noted that the railway line project which is facing challenges of funding, will have a central desk at the EAC
secretariat with experts from the five countries who will assist the secretariat on issues of rail.
"The EAC council of ministers also agreed that the secretariat should closely follow funding promises issued by the
African Development Bank," Dr Rufunjo noted.
Dr Rufunjo noted the railway project is within the EAC transport strategy and regional road sector development
programme.
"The next step is for the EAC member states to seek funding from development partners and start the process of
implementing the various projects," he noted.
On energy, Dr Rufunjo noted the natural gas production project in the country will be completed in October 2012, and
natural gas will be available to sell to other EAC member states.
He said Tanzania presented its report on the project in a five-day meeting held in Mombasa, Kenya.
At the meeting it was suggested that Tanzania be incorporated into a Uganda Oil pipeline, which will run from Kampala
to Kigali and Bujumbura.
"In Tanzania, the pipeline will run from Mwanza to Dar es Salaam," he noted.
By ROSE ATHUMANI, Tanzania Daily News
