President Uhuru Kenyatta flags off the first cargo train on the Standard Gauge Railway in Mombasa, May 30, 2017. [Photo: the-star.co.ke]

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Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago has called for the extension of the Standard gauge railway (SGR) to the North rift region.

The governor says the SGR project should pass through Eldoret and Kitale towns so as to benefit the locals.

Speaking in Eldoret on Saturday, Mandago noted that extending SGR to North rift will facilitate easy transportation of farm produce.

The region that produces mainly maize and wheat is considered as the country's food basket.

"The national government should consider extending SGR to Eldoret through to Busia up to Uganda and also Kitale to Suam and Uganda," Mandago said.

"We've products that we can transport using the SGR and help improve livelihoods," he added.

SGR is one of the Jubilee government's flagship projects and has already seen cargo and passenger trains launched in Nairobi - Mombasa railway line.

Plans are underway to extend the project to Naivasha, Nakuru and Kisumu.