Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) has launched a nationwide eviction exercise targeting people occupying railway land and reserves, warning encroachers along major railway corridors to vacate or risk being removed as the corporation moves to reclaim land for railway rehabilitation and expansion.
The exercise kicked off on Monday, October 19, 2026, along the Kampala–Kasese railway corridor at Masanda Village in Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District, marking the start of a wider operation targeting railway land across the country.
In a notice issued on Monday, URC said the operation would extend to several railway routes, including Tororo–Gulu, Gulu–Pakwach, the Busoga Loop, Butiaba and Masindi, as the corporation seeks to regain control of its land.
The crackdown could affect individuals and businesses that have established homes, commercial premises or other developments within railway reserves and station boundaries.
URC Orders Encroachers to Vacate 60-Metre Railway Corridor
At the centre of the operation is URC’s demand that all occupants along railway lines vacate a 60-metre-wide corridor, extending 30 metres on either side of the railway line.
The corporation also directed people occupying railway station land to vacate the entire boundaries of the affected station properties.
URC said reclaiming the land is necessary to restore and expand the railway network, which plays a critical role in Uganda’s transport infrastructure and long-term economic development.
“Uganda Railways Corporation has commenced the eviction of all encroachers on its railway and reserve land across the country,” the corporation announced.
The notice did not specify the number of people, homes or businesses expected to be affected by the exercise, nor did it provide a detailed timetable for evictions along each railway corridor.
Major Railway Routes Targeted
The operation extends beyond the Kampala–Kasese line, placing railway reserves in several parts of the country under renewed scrutiny.
The affected corridors include Tororo–Gulu, Gulu–Pakwach, the Busoga Loop, Butiaba and Masindi, alongside other railway properties managed by URC.
Reclaiming these reserves is significant to efforts to restore railway infrastructure, protect railway land and secure space for future development.
Encroachment on railway land can complicate infrastructure rehabilitation, restrict access to railway facilities and create safety risks where settlements or commercial activities are established too close to railway tracks.
However, the corporation has not disclosed the full extent of encroachment along the affected routes or the estimated cost of recovering the occupied land.
Railway Rehabilitation Drive
URC said the eviction exercise is intended to restore access to railway land so that the network can be rehabilitated and expanded in the interest of safe and reliable transport.
Rail transport is important to Uganda’s ambitions to improve freight movement, reduce pressure on roads and strengthen connections between commercial centres.
The reclamation of railway reserves could therefore be a critical step towards future infrastructure works, although the corporation has not announced specific construction projects or implementation timelines directly linked to Monday’s operation.
The nationwide exercise will also test how URC balances the protection of public infrastructure with the interests of people who may have occupied railway land over time.
The corporation said the operation would be conducted with fairness and respect for those affected.
