Kenya has officially launched construction of its long-delayed standard gauge railway (SGR) extension, reviving a key infrastructure project aimed at boosting regional trade connectivity.
President William Ruto flagged off the project on March 19, 2026, marking the beginning of a new phase in a transnational rail corridor intended to link Kenya with Uganda, Ecofin Agency reported.
The main railway line will span 264 kilometers from Naivasha to Kisumu, alongside an additional 8.69-kilometer branch line connecting to the new Kisumu port.
A separate 107-kilometer section will extend the railway further to Malaba, located at the Ugandan border.
Plans for the project include the construction of 26 stations, comprising one main station, six intermediate stations, and 18 passing stations, as well as a dedicated freight port facility.
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Although the extension was initially proposed after the Mombasa–Naivasha segment became operational in 2019, progress stalled for years due to funding challenges, including the exit of initial financiers. Authorities now project that the railway will be completed and operational by June 2027.
The expanded infrastructure is designed to integrate with Uganda’s rail network, which is currently under development, strengthening trade flows between the two countries. Uganda remains a major trading partner linked to the Port of Mombasa.
In the long term, the project is expected to create a continuous rail connection between Mombasa and Kampala, helping to reduce cargo handling bottlenecks, improve logistics efficiency, and ease congestion on road transport.
Additional extensions are also under consideration to connect the corridor to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda as part of wider regional integration plans.
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Image Credit: Bloomberg
