This archive report was first published on 17 December 2019.
On December 17, 2019, the launch of services on the standard gauge railway (SGR) from Mombasa to Naivasha marked a significant milestone in Kenya's transportation infrastructure.
The SGR has shown promise in reducing delivery and clearance times, and its passenger service was rolled out in mid-October, connecting Mombasa to the hinterland.
However, the link between Naivasha and the border with Uganda remains uncertain, with no clear timeline for its completion.
The old rail route to Kisumu is supposed to be rehabilitated to connect it with the SGR, but the status of the link through Eldoret to Malaba is unclear.
Initially, the Nakuru-Malaba route was expected to be rehabilitated at a cost of Sh21 billion, but this plan has stalled due to high costs.
Comparing the costs of rehabilitating the rail routes, the Nakuru-Malaba route is significantly more expensive than the Kisumu route, which will cost Sh3.8 billion.
The State should reconsider the plan for rehabilitating the rail route to Malaba and explore cheaper alternatives, such as rehabilitating the existing networks.
