• In 2014, Kenya embarked on the bold task of replacing the 130-year old colonial railway line from Mombasa to Kisumu, infamously called the “Lunatic Express”, with a modern Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

On March 19, 2026, President William Ruto launched the Construction of Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway Project, Narok County.

The Naivasha-Kisumu main line will span 264km, complemented by an 8.69km line branching to the proposed new Kisumu Port while the Kisumu- Malaba section will cover 107km, seamlessly linking Kenya to Uganda and the wider region.

Traversing nine counties - Narok, Bomet, Nyamira, Kericho, Kisumu, Siaya, Vihiga, Kakamega, and Busia, this strategic corridor will significantly ease the movement of people, goods, and services.

“It will also catalyse regional economic growth, and firmly position Kenya as a leading transport and logistics hub in Eastern and Central Africa,” says the President.

The President says the SGR extension will position Kenya as the regional trade and logistics hub, linking Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Port of Mombasa while unlocking the economic potential of Western Kenya.

Read More

  1. Gen Z Surge: 'Tuko Kadi' and the Youth Political Awakening
  2. National Youth Service Pushes Recruitment to March 21 After Holiday
  3. Idd-ul-Fitr: Murkomen Declares Friday, March 20, a Public Holiday

It will also ease road congestion by shifting bulk cargo to rail, cutting costs, saving time, and improving safety across our highways.

The launch follows a meeting the President had on March 18, 2026 with the China Communications Construction Company Chairman Song Hailiang, at State House Nairobi.

In 2014, Kenya embarked on the bold task of replacing the 130-year old colonial railway line from Mombasa to Kisumu, infamously called the “Lunatic Express”, with a modern Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

Ruto says that the first phase of the SGR, running from Mombasa to Naivasha, was initially dismissed by skeptics as a “railway to nowhere". But today, it stands vindicated as a transformative backbone of the national transport system, driving efficiency in the movement of goods and passengers.

“We are now advancing the next phase by extending the SGR from Naivasha to Kisumu and eventually to Malaba,’ the President added.

The project is scheduled for completion by June 2027.

Stay connected with us on WhatsApp and Facebook for instant updates and breaking news as it happens.