SRG: Construction of Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba railway extension begins

The construction has begun on the long planned extension of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to the Ugandan border.

The project will boost regional trade and improve transport links across East Africa.

President William Ruto officially launched the project on 19 March during a groundbreaking ceremony at Narok Teachers Training College in Narok County.

The event was attended by senior government officials, Kenya Railways executives and representatives of the contractor, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC).

The new railway will run from Naivasha through Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Nyamira and Kisumu before ending at Malaba on the Kenya-Uganda border.

Kenya Railways said the line would strengthen connections between the Port of Mombasa and neighbouring countries, reinforcing Kenya’s role as a regional transport and logistics hub.

The Ministry of Roads and Transport said the project will be delivered in two phases.Phase 2B will cover about 264km between Naivasha and Kisumu, including an 8.9km branch line to Kisumu Port.

Phase 2C will extend the railway from Kisumu to Malaba, where it is expected to connect with Uganda’s planned Standard Gauge Railway to Kampala.

Officials say the extension forms part of the Northern Corridor transport network and is expected to improve the movement of freight across the region while supporting deeper economic integration within the East African Community.

Kenya Railways says the project is also expected to stimulate investment, industrial development and tourism in counties along the railway route, while creating jobs during the construction phase.

Ahead of construction, Kenya Railways and the National Land Commission held public consultation meetings with people affected by the project to explain the land acquisition process, compensation arrangements and the legal framework governing the development.

The state corporation said the consultations were intended to promote transparency and prepare communities for the project’s implementation.

The railway extension has been under discussion for several years and is seen as a key part of efforts to improve freight transport between Kenya, Uganda and other countries in the region.

Uganda is also planning to extend its Standard Gauge Railway from Malaba to Kampala, making the Kenyan section an important cross-border transport link.