NYAMIRA, Kenya — Residents of Nyamira County have raised concerns after it emerged that the planned Naivasha–Kisumu Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) will not include a station within the county, despite earlier expectations that it would benefit from the project.
The multi-billion infrastructure project, part of Kenya’s broader rail expansion strategy, is expected to traverse several counties, including Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Nyamira, and Kisumu.
However, updated route details indicate that the railway will pass along the outskirts of Nyamira, near Ikonge, without entering the county or establishing a station there.
Residents and local leaders say the exclusion denies the region potential economic gains associated with railway infrastructure, including trade, logistics, and job creation.
There are also concerns over land acquisition, with some property owners expected to be affected by the route without benefiting from station-based economic activity.
According to Kenya Railways, the SGR will feature intermediary stations in Narok, Mulot, Bomet, and Sotik in Bomet County, Sondu at the Kericho–Kisumu border, Ahero, and a main terminus in Kisumu.
Conflicting assurances from leaders
Leaders from the Gusii region had previously assured residents that a station would be established in Ikonge.
“Mwanyagetinge don’t worry, SGR will have a station at Ikonge in Nyamira County,” UDA National Treasurer and Kitutu Chache North MP Japhet Nyakundi wrote on Facebook.
“I assure all residents of Gusii that there shall be an SGR passenger Station at Ikonge in Nyamira, which will be incorporated into the final construction designs,” Nyaribari Masaba MP Daniel Manduku added.
The apparent omission has therefore triggered frustration among residents who now feel misled.
Government response and possible review
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has acknowledged the concerns and indicated that the government may review the route to address the issue.
“Let’s look at the passenger train; the passenger terminus, of course, will be in Kisumu. We will have an intermediate passenger terminal in Narok, Mulot, Bomet, Sotik, Sondu and Ahero. We are going to relook at that, Your Excellency, towards Nyamira,” Chirchir said.
William Ruto is expected to visit Nyamira and Kisii counties later this week, where the SGR route is likely to feature prominently in discussions with local leaders and residents.
Legal action and demand for transparency
The controversy has also taken a legal dimension, with Nairobi-based lawyer Dennis Moturi Anyoka formally seeking clarification from Kenya Railways on behalf of residents.
In a letter dated March 19, Anyoka demanded documentation related to stakeholder consultations and the rationale behind excluding Nyamira from hosting a station.
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“Any other relevant document and/or information that justifies the reason why it was necessary to discriminate the entire Gusii region from the actual economic benefits that would accrue from the construction of the said station yet it is rich agricultural region,” the letter states.
He also questioned the justification for placing multiple stations in neighbouring regions while omitting the Gusii area entirely.
Strategic importance of the SGR project
The Naivasha–Kisumu SGR extension forms part of a wider plan to connect the Port of Mombasa to inland markets and neighbouring countries, strengthening regional trade corridors.
President Ruto has previously emphasised the project’s role in linking industrial and agricultural zones to transport infrastructure, enhancing both imports and exports.
“This stretch of the railway line will connect our industrial corridor in Nairobi to the agricultural heartland of Narok, Bomet, Kericho, and Nyamira counties, and ultimately the commercial gateway of Kisumu County.”
Analysts say the success of the railway will depend not only on connectivity but also on equitable distribution of infrastructure benefits across regions.
