NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 21 — Uganda President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday described the extension of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Kisumu to Malaba as a pivotal step in rationalizing regional cargo transport.
He warned that continued reliance on road freight for heavy goods and petroleum would be “suicide.”
Speaking alongside Kenya President William Ruto during the launch of the Kisumu–Malaba SGR section, Museveni said shifting heavy cargo from roads to rail and moving petroleum products to pipelines would reduce accidents, lower logistics costs, and protect critical infrastructure.
“The transport system, as it currently stands, is chaotic and wasteful,” Museveni said.
“Mixing passengers, light cargo, and heavy cargo on roads is dangerous. Moving heavy freight to the railway and petroleum to pipelines leaves roads for passengers and lighter goods while making our economies competitive.”
Museveni emphasized that affordable transport, electricity, and access to credit form the “bone marrow” of any economy, urging African nations to prioritize government-backed infrastructure and financial systems to reduce production costs and improve global competitiveness.
“High costs in transport, electricity, and finance have kept Africa import-oriented,” he said.
“If we continue depending on road transport for cargo, we are effectively undermining our own competitiveness.”
Kenya-Uganda corridor
The 107-km Kisumu–Malaba rail section completes a nearly 1,000-km corridor linking Mombasa to the Kenya–Uganda border.
The line is expected to extend to Kampala and other East African Community (EAC) countries, including Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, further integrating regional trade.
Museveni praised Kenya’s SGR achievements from Mombasa to Nairobi and Naivasha, calling for a coordinated regional approach to infrastructure and finance to stimulate manufacturing, agriculture, and trade.
“Every person here today is part of history,” Museveni said.
“We are witnessing Africa waking up to its potential, creating competitive industries, and modernizing transport systems for generations to come.”
President Ruto added that the SGR extension will significantly reduce logistics costs, empower farmers, and support industrialists across East and Central Africa.
“Our cities and our nations are shaped by infrastructure,” Ruto said.
“Infrastructure development does not just connect places; it often creates them. It determines where opportunity thrives, where investment flows, and where prosperity takes root.”
The SGR aims to lower freight costs, speed up transit, and foster industrialization along the corridor, with special economic zones planned in Kisumu and Busia to attract investment in manufacturing, logistics, and trade.
