The extension of Standard Gauge Railway from Kenya’s Naivasha to Kisumu and onward to the Kenyan border with Uganda will commence next month, marking a major step in reviving the Chinese-backed regional rail corridor.
The 264-kilometre line from Naivasha is expected to build on earlier SGR phases constructed by the State-owned China Road and Bridge Corporation and financed largely through Chinese partnerships under the Belt and Road-linked infrastructure framework.
Philip Mainga, Kenya Railways managing director, noted that the proposed SGR Phase 2B project will form a critical link in the railway network, connecting the region to the broader national and regional transport system.
“The corridor is expected to expand regional trade, lower the cost of doing business, stimulate industrial parks, strengthen agricultural value chains and catalyze new investments in warehousing, cold storage, fisheries and manufacturing,” the corporation boss said.
The operationalization of the railway line is anticipated to play an important role in linking Kenya with neighboring countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan.
Key components of the project will include 79 railway bridges with a combined length of about 43 kilometres, eight tunnels with a total length of 14 kilometres and 376 culverts spanning around 7 kilometres.
Others include 26 stations in the initial phase, comprising one major station, six intermediate stations and 18 crossing stations, as well as one freight port facility, an 8.68-kilometre branch line linking the main railway to the proposed Kisumu Port, which will include one bridge and eight culverts.
“Once completed, the line is expected to significantly enhance freight and passenger movement, strengthen intermodal connectivity between rail and lake transport on Lake Victoria and stimulate economic growth in the Lake Region and beyond,” Kenya Railways updated on their official Facebook page.
The corporation hosted on Tuesday a stakeholder consultative forum in Kisumu County bringing together regional leadership led by Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and officials from the National Land Commission, members of Parliament and members of Kisumu County Assembly.
Mainga assured regional leaders that the corporation is committed to ensuring that the construction of the line strictly adheres to all regulatory requirements while prioritizing public safety.
He added that infrastructure and facilities affected along the corridor will be relocated where necessary, and that the corporation plans to undertake various corporate social responsibility initiatives to support communities affected by the project.
