Kenyan President William Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni jointly launched the construction of a key extension to the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) on Saturday, marking a major step toward enhanced regional connectivity and trade between the two East African nations.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place in Kisumu, on the Kenyan side of the shared border. It followed closely after President Ruto launched the construction of the Naivasha–Kisumu section just days earlier. The newly initiated phase will cover over 100 kilometers from Kisumu to Malaba at the Kenya-Uganda border. Uganda plans to extend the railway further from the border to its capital, Kampala, with potential continuation into neighboring Rwanda.
President Ruto described the project as a proud moment for Kenya, emphasizing its broader impact beyond mere transportation infrastructure. “This is a very proud moment for us as Kenya as we see this infrastructural development that is not just a rail. It is a commercial lifeline. It is a logistics hub and it is a regional investment that is going to transform the business environment,” he said. He added that the extension would transform the fortunes of farmers, producers, industrialists, and business people while creating wealth in the region.
The Kenyan leader outlined plans to shift heavy cargo to the railway and petroleum products to pipelines, reserving roads primarily for passengers and light cargo. He also highlighted the potential integration with water transport.
The original SGR line, linking the port city of Mombasa to inland destinations including Nairobi, was completed in 2017. Its success has been evident in recent years. On May 31, 2017, the SGR commuter train began operations on a 472-kilometer route from Mombasa to Nairobi. Nearly eight years later, the service transports millions of passengers annually along one of Kenya’s busiest corridors.
In 2025, passenger traffic revenue reached $37.1 million, while cargo volume surged to 7.48 million tons, generating $128.7 million for the railway. Strong demand has led to the addition of extra trains in recent months. Passengers have praised the comfort and scenic experience, with one describing it as feeling “like in a plane” and noting the opportunity to view nature and wildlife. Officials credit the rail shift with easing road congestion, reducing bulk cargo on highways, cutting costs, saving time, and improving safety.
The new 369-kilometer extension from Naivasha to Busia on the Uganda border—encompassing the Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba stretch—will traverse eight Kenyan counties, including Narok, Bomet, Kericho, and Kisumu. The project design features 13 tunnels, 23 bridges, and 376 culverts.
For landlocked Uganda, which received nearly 70% of the 7.37 million tons of cargo transiting through Kenya’s Mombasa port in the first six months of 2025, the extension promises substantial benefits. Currently, moving cargo from Mombasa to the Ugandan border can take up to 80 hours, and over 100 hours to Kampala without efficient rail links. The upgraded railway is expected to significantly boost regional trade volumes and economic development for Uganda and beyond.
The initiative underscores growing cooperation between Kenya and Uganda to strengthen the Northern Corridor and position the region as a more integrated trade hub.
