Kenya Railways Confirms July Start for Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba SGR Extension

Kenya Railways has confirmed that construction of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway extension will begin in July. The state corporation said final preparations are now under way along the project corridor.

In recent days Kenya Railways has stepped up its outreach to people living along the proposed alignment. Property inspections have also begun in areas gazetted for the railway.

The latest public engagement happened in Kisumu County where Kenya Railways brought together landowners from Kisumu Town East Sub-county for a sensitisation meeting on June 24.

The affected parcels were listed in Gazette Notice No. 4986 published on April 2 this year. That notice authorised compulsory acquisition of the land needed for the project.

At the meeting officials presented the proposed design for the Kibos Terminus. This facility ranks among the key stations and yards planned under the extension project.

Representatives from the National Land Commission took residents through the legal procedures for compulsory land acquisition. They explained the processes for valuation and compensation under the Land Act, 2012.

The commission further informed the landowners that inspections of the gazetted parcels would begin on June 25. This step forms part of the compensation process before any construction starts.

Separately, Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga led a high-level delegation to Narok County. The team inspected sections of the proposed corridor and reviewed how ready the area is for construction to begin.

The Narok visit formed part of wider readiness checks now under way. Officials wanted to confirm that everything is in place ahead of the July start.

Kenya Railways said the project has advanced to the implementation stage following the completion of route planning and validation exercises. These exercises informed the final design of the railway line.

"The Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Project has reached a significant milestone, with Kenya Railways progressing preparations for the commencement of construction works following the successful completion of the Route Planning and Validation Exercise," the corporation said.

The extension will link the existing SGR network at Naivasha with Kisumu and extend further to Malaba. It is intended to enhance cargo movement and regional trade along the Northern Corridor.

The Northern Corridor acts as the primary trade artery from Mombasa port to landlocked nations in East Africa. A reliable rail service along this route is expected to improve transport efficiency for freight.

Construction of the line is expected to create thousands of jobs. The estimated KSh 700 billion contract was awarded to China Communications Construction Company (CCCC)'s China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

The July start comes months after the contract award. It also follows a Court of Appeal ruling that directed the government to make public certain documents relating to the original SGR project.

With land acquisition processes advancing and site checks completed in key areas, attention now turns to the mobilisation of contractors and equipment for the physical works.

The public engagements in Kisumu and the inspections in Narok show how Kenya Railways is handling the practical steps required before major construction can commence on the extension.