Pakwach Railway line in ruins | ON THE GROUND
Once a flagship investment launched in 1969 and witnessed by regional leaders Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere, and Milton Obote, the Pakwach Railway Line now lies in disrepair — overtaken by bush and water, and vulnerable to vandalism.
The railway had the potential to boost trade with South Sudan and DR Congo and transport key cash crops like tobacco, cotton, and Arabica coffee from the West Nile region.
During Obote’s regime, it spurred industrial growth and improved transportation. However, despite a 2006 pledge by China to extend the line to Juba, the project never materialized — Juba remains over 600 km from the nearest Sudanese rail station at Wau.
