Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir on Monday, March 16, 2026, led an inspection tour of the Kibos Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) site in Kisumu ahead of the highly anticipated groundbreaking ceremony for the extension of the railway from Naivasha to Malaba.
The ceremony, scheduled for Saturday in Kisumu, will be jointly presided over by President William Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, marking a major milestone in the expansion of regional transport infrastructure.
Government officials say the event is expected to attract more than 20,000 people, including residents, political leaders, investors and stakeholders from across the region.
Preparations underway for major regional project
During the inspection tour, Chirchir said the government is working to ensure all logistical and organisational arrangements are in place ahead of the historic event.
“We have arrived here in Kisumu today in Kibos to check the preparedness for the groundbreaking of the Standard Gauge Railway extension from Naivasha to Kisumu and eventually to Malaba,” Chirchir said.
“This is a big day that we will celebrate with our President William Ruto and President Yoweri Museveni when they come to launch this very significant project,” he added.
The groundbreaking ceremony will officially signal the start of the next phase of Kenya’s railway expansion, a project aimed at strengthening trade and transport connectivity across East Africa.
369km railway expected to boost regional trade
The proposed railway line will stretch approximately 369 kilometres, linking Naivasha to Kisumu and eventually to Malaba at the Kenya–Uganda border.
Once completed, the line is expected to become a key segment of the Northern Corridor, which connects the Port of Mombasa to inland markets in Kenya and neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan.
Chirchir said the railway will significantly improve the efficiency of cargo movement across the region.
“This is a very significant construction that will open up the regional transport corridor which is currently serviced predominantly by trucks,” he said.
According to the CS, the project will help reduce pressure on road transport while providing a faster and more reliable alternative for moving goods.
Passenger and cargo transport to benefit
In addition to freight services, the railway is expected to support passenger transport between major towns along the corridor.
“It will also have passenger facilitation in order to improve the transportation of goods to market and enhance the movement of people across the region,” Chirchir said.
The government believes the extension of the SGR to western Kenya and eventually to neighbouring countries will strengthen regional integration, lower the cost of transport and boost trade within the East African region.
The groundbreaking ceremony in Kisumu is expected to formally launch construction works and reaffirm Kenya’s commitment to expanding its railway network as part of broader infrastructure development efforts.
