Uganda Kicks Off SGR Extension as Kenya Eyes January 2025 Construction
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has confirmed that the Kenyan government will commence the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) that connects Naivasha to Kisumu in January next year.
Speaking during the launch of the construction of the Malaba to Kampala railway line, on Thursday, November 21, Museveni announced the SGR would be developed in phases, beginning with the Malaba to Kampala and Naivasha to Kisumu routes.
The construction would then proceed to other routes, including the Western route that interconnects Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and finally the Northern route that connects Uganda to South Sudan.
Addressing the press during the groundbreaking ceremony in Malaba, at the Kenya-Uganda border, President Museveni explained that the SGR would reduce transit duration from 14 days to 24 hours.
“Works on the Naivasha-Malaba section by our Kenyan counterparts will start very soon. The two countries have agreed on the timelines of the two projects to ensure seamless movement of trains from Kampala to Mombasa,” Museveni noted.
According to the Ugandan Head of State, the Malaba-Kampala line, which is 272 km, would be constructed within 48 months. “For the next 48 months, concrete on steel with ballast toppings will be our daily sight for 272 km,” he added.
