• Kenya has launched construction of the Naivasha–Kisumu SGR extension
• The project aims to connect to Uganda and boost regional trade flows
• Completion is expected by mid-2027 after years of funding delays

Construction of Kenya’s standard gauge railway (SGR) extension has been officially launched, reviving a long-delayed project aimed at strengthening regional trade links.

President William Ruto inaugurated the works on March 19, 2026, marking the start of a new phase of a transnational rail corridor designed to connect Kenya to Uganda.

The main line will run 264 kilometers from Naivasha to Kisumu, with an additional 8.69-kilometer branch serving the new port of Kisumu. A second 107-kilometer segment will extend the railway to Malaba, on the Ugandan border.

The project includes 26 stations—one main station, six intermediate stations, and 18 passing stations—as well as a dedicated freight port facility.

Originally planned after the Mombasa–Naivasha section became operational in 2019, the extension faced repeated delays due to financing constraints, including the withdrawal of initial funding partners. Authorities now expect the line to be operational by June 2027.

The infrastructure is intended to connect with Uganda’s rail network, currently under development, reinforcing trade flows between the two countries. Uganda remains a key trading partner for the port of Mombasa.

Over the longer term, the project is expected to establish a continuous rail link between Mombasa and Kampala, reducing cargo handling disruptions, improving logistics efficiency, and easing pressure on road transport.

Further extensions are also being considered to link the corridor to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda as part of broader regional integration efforts.

Henoc Dossa