[3] URC's system is rooted in the British colonial 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge Uganda Railway that was transformed after World War I into the EARC.

Its operation after the demise of the EARC had been hampered by civil war and inefficient management in Uganda.

[13][14] In late February 2018, URC finally took possession of the concession assets and resumed operating the metre-gauge railway system in Uganda.

[17] Kaawa returned to port, but a few hours after the collision, Kabalega sank about 8 nautical miles (15 km) south-east of the Ssese Islands.

[21][22] In June 2018, the EastAfrican, reported that 900-tonne MV Umoja, registered in Tanzania, began regular service between Mwanza and Port Bell, plying the route 26 times every month.

[25] In February 2022, the newly reconditioned MV Pamba was introduced to the public and was commissioned for commercial services, after a period of 17 years' absence.

In October 2010, ThyssenKrupp subsidiary Gleistechnik reportedly was leading a project to link Juba, capital of South Sudan, with Gulu, a town in northern Uganda.

[27] After having been closed for years because of damaged infrastructure, the northern route to Gulu (from Tororo Junction on the main Kampala-Mombasa line) reopened in September 2013, with RVRC as the operator.