This archive report was first published on 17 December 2019.
Uhuru Launches Naivasha SGR Operations ¶
President Uhuru Kenyatta has launched the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) freight services to Naivasha Inland Container Depot, a project expected to ease transportation of cargo from the port of Mombasa to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Sh150 billion SGR line cuts across Nairobi, Kajiado, Narok, and Nakuru counties, with four passenger stations and one interchange station. The launch of the freight services comes ahead of the full completion of the Naivasha Inland Container Depot, a project which sits on a 1,000-acre piece of land of the 76,000-acre Kedong Ranch.
President Uhuru said the government is committed to improving infrastructure across the country to make Kenya a preferred destination for investors. He noted that the Naivasha Dry Port will transform the surrounding areas, turning it into one of the biggest economic and logistics hubs in the country and East African region.
Speaking on Thursday, Nakuru County Governor Lee Kinyanjui lauded the national government for its continued support through major investments in the county, which will go a long way in creating jobs and improving the livelihoods of residents.
However, the dry port project has faced challenges, with 30,000 families living on the parcel declining to move out and moving to court. Justice Dalmus Ohungo, who is hearing the case, declined to issue orders to stop their eviction.
