Narok, Kenya – The government has commenced the Construction of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Project.
President William Ruto speaking during the SGR phase 2B groundbreaking in Narok. Photo/Courtesy.
President William Ruto launched the second phase of the SGR construction in Narok on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
Speaking at Emurtoto village, Narok County, Ruto termed the current SGR termination at Narok incomplete, noting that it does not reach the major production zones of Western Kenya.
Why Kenya is extending SGR to Uganda
The head of state cited rising demand for efficient transport, noting that transit cargo through the Port of Mombasa reached 7.37 million tonnes in just six months of 2025, with nearly 70% of it destined for Uganda.
He pointed to a slow transport corridor, where cargo takes up to 80 hours from Mombasa to Malaba and over 100 hours to Kampala, costing businesses and weakening Kenya’s competitiveness as a nation.
“It is this gap that makes the 262.3km Narok-Kisumu section, Phase 2B of our SGR network, not just an extension, but a strategic economic intervention,” said Ruto.
Launch of the Construction of Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway Project, Narok County https://t.co/IlPNmK8DAE
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) March 19, 2026
The president noted that extending the railway line will lower the cost of living by reducing transport costs, increasing freight volumes, and boosting economic activity.
The project will also create jobs and enterprise opportunities during construction, through logistics hubs, and across agriculture, trade, and manufacturing.
“By extending this railway to Kisumu and ultimately to Malaba, we are consolidating Kenya’s role as the logistical backbone of East and Central Africa,” he said.
Kisumu-Malaba SGR extension
President Ruto further noted that the extension of the railway line will not end at Kisumu, but will extend to the Malaba border.
He revealed that the groundbreaking for the third phase of SGR will take place in Kisumu on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
“That is why, in Kisumu on Saturday, we will break ground on the 107km SGR Phase 2C section linking the port city to the border town of Malaba in Busia County,” he revealed.
Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba SGR is a defining investment in our Nation’s future.
A 369 km corridor that will unlock regional trade, connect Kenyans and position us as a logistics hub under East African Community integration. pic.twitter.com/40edxgc5HS
The head of state maintained that the SGR is vital in delivering the Kenyan economy, since its commencement in 2014, when the government took a bold step to modernise the railway line.
Freight operations generate more than KSh 1.3 billion per month, while passenger revenue has grown by 40% to surpass KSh 4 billion annually.
In December 2025, SGR passenger revenue reached KSh 602 million.
Wycliffe Musalia is the founder and CEO of News 9 Kenya based in Nairobi.He has a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Linguistics, Media, and Communication from Moi University. Musalia writes and reports about politics, sports, technology, business, and world news.
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