The management of Uganda Railway Corporation (URC) has asked all encroachers on the corporation land in Kasese to vacate it with immediate effect so that rehabilitation works commence.

In a statement released by Uganda Railway Corporation (URC) on Wednesday evening, August 23, 2023, the management said that government is committed to construct and rehabilitate railway infrastructure across the country, and it can only be done effectively without being cumbersome if all encroachers on the corporation land vacate it.

According to URC, the land in question belongs to the corporation, contrary to the stories circulating in the media about the planned removal of encroachers in Kasese. The stories claim that the encroachers purchased land on which they occupy.

“This therefore is to inform the general public that, the corporation has never sold its reserve land and it will not entertain any calls to allow the encroachers to continue occupying land on which they settled, well knowing that what they were doing was illegal, and many of whom constructed structures on the embankment,” the statement read in part.

The URC management noted that, all encroachers on the corporation land in general and those of Kasese in particular should leave with immediate effect, and those using the rail line as a walk-way should stop as it damages the line, but also puts users at high risk.

Government has embarked on a rehabilitation program of the railway stations across the country, starting with 382 kilometer (Ugx200Billion) works on Tororo-Gulu line to ease transportation and movement of heavy cargo.