NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 16 – President William Ruto has announced that his administration will begin construction of the long-awaited extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Kisumu in January.
He framed the project, which will see the line stretch to Malaba, as a fulfillment of a development vision championed by the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking during the ODM@20 celebrations in Mombasa on Saturday night, Ruto emphasized that the project was originally part of Odinga’s infrastructure agenda.
“This SGR project was in the ODM manifesto. That is why I must extend the railway from Naivasha to Kisumu to Malaba,” he said.
“And by the way, I’m going to begin moving it by January.”
Ruto added that Odinga’s infrastructure blueprint closely mirrored his own in the lead-up to the 2022 elections, noting that the SGR extension reflects a shared national development goal rather than a partisan initiative.
Sh646bn project
The extension, which will link the Rift Valley to western Kenya and ultimately the Uganda border, represents one of the largest infrastructure undertakings in Kenya’s recent history.
Government and rail-sector estimates indicate that the entire Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba corridor is projected to cost approximately Sh646–648 billion.
The Naivasha–Kisumu section alone is estimated at about Sh380 billion, while the Kisumu–Malaba stretch is expected to require an additional Sh122.9 billion, bringing the total financial outlay to over half a trillion shillings.
The government plans to fund civil works, tracks, stations, and associated infrastructure while seeking private partners to supply and operate rolling stock, including locomotives and freight wagons.
This hybrid public–private model aims to reduce pressure on public finances while ensuring operational efficiency once the line becomes active.
Once completed, the expanded SGR will integrate western Kenya into the Northern Corridor logistics network, significantly strengthening regional trade flows with Uganda and the Great Lakes region.
The railway is expected to unlock new freight volumes from Kisumu Port, reduce transport costs for exporters, and enhance Kenya’s competitiveness in East Africa’s growing markets.
