The operation will initially target the Kampala–Mityana, Mubende and Kamwenge–Kasese corridors, as Parliament investigates concerns over railway reserve boundaries and land ownership.
The Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) will begin a fresh operation to remove illegal occupants from railway reserve land on Monday, October 19, starting with the Kampala–Mityana, Mubende and Kamwenge–Kasese railway corridors.
In an update posted on its X account, the corporation warned that illegal encroachers on its land would not be spared, adding that the operation would later extend to the Busoga railway line, which passes through Kamuli, Luuka, Jinja, Kaliiro and other areas.
The exercise comes amid a government drive to reclaim railway land for the rehabilitation and expansion of Uganda’s railway network.
On September 29, Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama directed URC to evict encroachers and demolish illegal structures following concerns raised by Cabinet over the continued occupation of railway reserves.
Byamukama also told Parliament that approximately 28,486 cases of encroachment had been identified across railway corridors, station land and other properties belonging to the corporation.
He said the encroachment had affected railway rehabilitation plans, with the Busoga line among the areas experiencing significant pressure on railway land.
However, the planned evictions have raised questions about the boundaries of railway reserves, land ownership and whether affected communities have been adequately consulted.
During a parliamentary debate, some legislators questioned the measurements used to determine railway reserves and the extent to which residents had been consulted before enforcement action was planned.
The Speaker referred the matter to Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure for investigation.
The reclamation exercise is intended to free railway corridors for infrastructure rehabilitation, improve railway safety and create space for future expansion.
URC has also warned that occupants of railway reserve land could be affected by the enforcement operation, including people whose land titles are disputed.
The planned evictions place renewed focus on the challenge of balancing the government’s railway rehabilitation plans with concerns over land boundaries, ownership claims and the rights of affected communities.