A single trip on the Standard Gauge Railway will carry as much cargo as 200 trucks, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said as leaders gathered in Kisumu to launch the latest phase of the rail project. He described the railway as a practical solution to the growing demand for faster and more reliable transport across Kenya and into the region.
Speaking during the event on Saturday, March 21, 2026, Mudavadi said the line will handle up to 4,000 tonnes in one journey, easing the burden on roads that have long carried most of the cargo. He noted that the shift to rail will not only improve efficiency but also help lower transport challenges faced by businesses.
“Kwa wananchi tafakari kwamba hi reli itabeba 4000 tonnes kwa wakati mmoja, yaani ni karibu lory ya tonnes mia mbili kwa wakati mmoja.”
The railway extension will run for 369 kilometres from Naivasha through Narok and Kisumu before reaching Malaba at the Kenya-Uganda border. The Sh500 billion project is expected to strengthen the transport link between Kenya and Uganda while connecting inland areas to the Port of Mombasa.
Leaders at the launch said the line will support both freight and passenger movement, opening up towns along the route and making travel and trade easier. The project is also expected to reduce heavy truck traffic, which has been the main mode of moving goods along the Northern Corridor.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said earlier that preparations for the launch had been completed after inspections at key points along the route, including Kisumu and Narok. He described the day as an important step in expanding the country’s railway network.
“We have come to Kisumu to assess the readiness for the groundbreaking of the SGR extension from Naivasha to Kisumu and eventually to Malaba. This is a significant day; we will celebrate with our president and President Museveni as we launch this transformative project,” CS Chirchir said during a media briefing at the Kibos site.
The launch also provided a platform for leaders to raise other concerns affecting the region. Siaya senator Oburu Odinga used the moment to call on Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to address the issue of Kenyan fishermen facing harassment in Lake Victoria.
He said communities living along the lake share close ties that go back many years and should continue to live and work together peacefully. He urged that fishermen be allowed to move freely across the waters without interference.
President William Ruto, in his remarks, said the railway will support economic growth in both Kenya and Uganda. He added that the project will strengthen ties between the two countries while improving movement of goods and people.
