KISUMU, Kenya — Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni arrived in Kisumu on Saturday, March 21, to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 2C of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), a key infrastructure project aimed at strengthening regional trade.
The new railway segment will extend the existing line from Naivasha towards the Ugandan border, passing through Kisumu and forming a critical link in the Northern Corridor transport network.
William Ruto presided over the ceremony at Kibos, describing the project as central to unlocking economic growth in western Kenya and enhancing cross-border trade within East Africa.
A day earlier, Ruto had launched Phase 2B of the railway extension in Narok, emphasising that the SGR remains incomplete without a direct connection to key production and export hubs in the western region.
He noted that the current terminus in Narok limits integration with Kisumu’s lake transport system, restricting the railway’s capacity to handle large-scale freight movement.
According to government data, cargo volumes through Port of Mombasa reached 7.37 million tonnes in the first half of 2025, with nearly 70% destined for Uganda. However, road transport remains slow and costly, with goods taking up to 80 hours to reach Malaba and over 100 hours to reach Kampala.
The extension is expected to significantly reduce transit times and logistics costs by linking Nairobi’s industrial corridor with agricultural and commercial zones in Narok, Bomet, Nyamira, Kericho, Busia, and Kisumu counties.
Ruto said the six counties hold significant economic potential, which improved rail connectivity would help unlock by facilitating faster and more efficient movement of goods.
Also Read: Ruto launches Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba SGR in major push to link East Africa trade corridor
Speaking at the event, Museveni expressed optimism that the railway would stimulate industrial growth along the corridor stretching from Nairobi through Naivasha to Kisumu, Malaba, and into Uganda.
He said the extension would provide businesses with more affordable access to raw materials and broader markets, while also creating employment opportunities for young people in sectors such as construction, logistics, manufacturing, and services.
The SGR extension forms part of broader regional integration efforts under the East African Community framework, aimed at improving infrastructure connectivity and boosting intra-African trade.
