Gen. Katumba Calls for a multi modal Transport Approach to Enhance transport system

The Minister for Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, has rallied stakeholders in the transport sector to adopt a multi modal transport approach to enhance transportation of people and their goods from one place to another using different transport means.  He said this can be achieved by developing all the transport means such as roads, railways, construction of ports among others.  The Minister made the revelation during the pass out ceremony of 20 UPDF officers who completed a six-month training in ferry operation.

He said the Multimodal transport system aims at ensuring all transport systems are developed altogether and to reduce pressure associated with using one transport system. He disclosed that plans are underway to rehabilitate port bell, Jinja pier and soon construction of Bukesa port in Kira will commence.

“We shall develop all the transport systems together without leaving behind any of them. A lot of emphasis has been put on developing roads but you find that the roads are getting overweight and that’s why they break down every day. We are trying to develop water and railway transport. We have also rehabilitated the old meter Gauge and now bring in 25000 metric tons of cargo from Mombasa and we have also started on the passenger train.  We hope if port Bukasa is complete in future it can handle enough cargo.

I would like to inform you that the government recognizes investment in infrastructure development. To carry out trade-you must have reliable infrastructures. We are in the advanced stage of having a standard gauge railway.

“As a country 23% of our land is covered with water and we need to develop capacity so as to be able to navigate these water bodies. Ferry services are very important and they should be properly maintained, and we need to develop more of these services, ‘Gen. Katumba sounded his appeal.

On the issue of training UPDF officers to run ferry services, Gen. Katumba said:

“We partnered with Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to train our soldiers not only in assembling the ferry but also to run it. This kind of partnership is required and working in silos is not required. Therefore, we must work together as a nation to be able to maximize the available resources. Currently we are constructing more ferries at Akampala fishing site, two ferries at Lake Bunyonyi and another between Amuru and Rhino camp. We also intend to offer a ferry to the people of Busi Island to ease their movement plus their goods. Government is committed to improving trade in the country.

“The trained UPDF officers received very good skills and will be deployed to operate MV Kalangala and MV Akamba among other ferries. Training UPDF officers will help to avoid a repeat of a scenario where the force wanted to cross River Semliki but had not trained ferry operators and this prompted us to use UNRA officials who were unfamiliar to war situations.  Fortunately we have trained our soldiers to run the ferries and in case of emergency these very soldiers will be able to transport our troops and equipment to Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Division operations and training officer of Mountain Division, Col. Godfrey Kyomuhendo, said the trained UPDF officers in ferry operations would help to ferry military equipment currently stationed at Bulasi and Kaluruma to help in operation Shujja in Democratic Republic of Congo. He added that UNRA ferry operators will be withdrawn from Bulasi and Karuruma.

“We have been having a problem ferrying our logistics across R.Semliki but with the available trained soldiers, we shall be able to move our troops where we want them. We pray that we have the standard gauge railway in place. The next thing is to withdraw UNRA ferry operators and replace them with our trained UPDF officers.’

The Director Road infrastructure protection unit at UNRA John Ssejemba, appealed to the government to construct a maritime school in the country saying Ugandan ship captains are trained in Tanzania and that the cost of training one ship captain is very expensive and range between Shs 15-20 million.

“We have the officers in basic sailing and maintenance of a basic ferry and next is to train them how to run sophisticated ferries like those at Nakiwogo, Buvuma and Sigulu fishing sites. We shall continue to train our officers gradually until we get the best out of them. The whole idea is to build the capacity of UPDF officers and work together as government institutions. Working in silos as a government can’t help us so it’s very important to work together for the good of our country.