Phase one of the Standard Gauge Railway which is already complete has seen Kenya Railways begin passenger services, with freight services expected to begin next year. [Photo/The Star]
The government has begun negotiations for the financing of the Standard Gauge Railway extension from Naivasha to Narok, Bomet, Nyamira, and Kisumu.
The extension of the three lines is expected to cost 350 billion shillings while construction of an inland port in Kisumu will cost 14 billion shillings.
Phase one of the Standard Gauge Railway which is already complete has seen Kenya Railways begin passenger services, with freight services expected to begin next year.
Phase two A has already begun and is expected to be completed 18 months ahead of schedule.
Roads and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia now says the commercial contract for the extension of the railways to Narok, Nyamira, Bomet and Kisumu has been signed in a project that will cost another 350 billion shillings.
The SGR will further be complemented by an inland port in Kisumu to handle cargo being transported across Lake Victoria to neighboring countries.
Tanzania has embarked on building 422kms of electrified SGR at Sh192 billion which Macharia says will not affect the expected regional interconnection. Kenya’s SGR is diesel powered.
When completed to the west coast of Africa in DRC, the Standard Gauge Railway is expected to be a key link to China, under the One Belt One Road Initiative.
A study to maximize the meter gauge railway whose concession has since been canceled is underway.