Uganda’s railway chief has been questioned by police after failing to provide evidence on efforts to recover 394 missing wagons linked to the controversial Rift Valley Railways (RVR) concession, raising fresh concerns over accountability, asset management and regional transport security.
Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) Managing Director Benon Kajuna recorded a statement with Parliament Police after appearing before lawmakers investigating the disappearance of railway equipment belonging to Uganda and Kenya.
The probe follows concerns raised in an Auditor General’s report over the loss of railway assets, with lawmakers demanding answers on how hundreds of wagons, some larger than buses, vanished from official records without clear recovery measures.
Members of Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure said the missing assets included 113 Uganda Railways wagons and 281 belonging to Kenya Railways, warning that the issue could damage Uganda’s reputation and create diplomatic tensions with neighbouring countries.
“A wagon is a big thing, bigger than a bus. How can something bigger than a bus just disappear?” lawmaker Berunado Ssebbugga-Kimeze questioned during the heated session.
URC officials told the committee that the disappearance was linked to challenges that emerged when RVR shifted from a manual wagon tracking system to a digital platform known as Translogic.
Wagons that could not immediately be traced were reportedly moved into a virtual station in Nyahururu, Kenya, where records later became difficult to verify.
The railway corporation explained that under a tripartite agreement involving Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, wagons are allowed to operate across borders for specified periods.
Any wagon remaining away from its owner’s network for more than 90 days is classified as lost, requiring compensation based on the value of a replacement unit.
Lawmakers demanded a complete inventory showing the location and status of all URC wagons operating across the region, as well as documentation proving attempts had been made to recover the missing assets.
Committee chairperson Mwine Mpaka warned that officials could face arrest if they failed to produce evidence of recovery efforts.
The investigation comes as URC faces broader operational challenges, including limited locomotive availability, funding shortages and the need for major investment in railway safety and infrastructure.
The corporation has also requested government support to address a Shs250.5 billion funding deficit and release Shs99 billion in outstanding counterpart funding for the Kampala-Malaba railway rehabilitation project.
