HOMA BAY, Kenya – The Kenyan government has announced plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Kisumu.
President William Ruto on Sunday, June 1, 2025, said discussions had been concluded on the matter.
“The extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Kisumu and onward to Malaba,” said the president.
Kenya has set its sights on a Sh2.1 trillion plan to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Kisumu, Malaba, and Isiolo by the end of June 2027.
The SGR is one of the flagship projects of Kenya’s national development program, Vision 2030, which aims to transform Kenya into an industrialised and middle-income country by the end of this decade.
The commencement of the construction of the Naivasha to Malaba SGR phase 2B extension is gaining momentum. Its completion is expected to significantly boost regional trade and integration within the Eastern Africa region.
Consequently, in December 2024, Kenya Railways advertised a tender for the Consultancy Services for Undertaking Relocation Action Plan (RAP) Study for the Proposed Construction of the Naivasha – Kisumu SGR (Phase 2B).
President Ruto, who spoke when he presided over this year’s Madaraka Day national celebrations at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay County, disclosed that construction will commence on the dual carriageway from Mau Summit to Rironi by July this year, eventually extending through Eldoret to Malaba.
“Over the past two and a half years, we have constructed 1,800 kilometers of new tarmac roads and maintained over 134,800 kilometers, surpassing our targets, unlocking markets, empowering rural communities, and supporting key sectors such as agriculture and housing,” he explained.
How the Kenyan coffee sector is fairing on
While giving the nation an update on the status of the agricultural sector, President Ruto said:
“As we often say here in Kenya, any time is tea or coffee time, which explains why instant coffee is a favourite for many. Yet, we must all agree that while instant coffee is good, there are no instant solutions to the enduring and demanding task of nation-building,” he added.
President Ruto says real change takes plans, persistence, and discipline.
“Promises must be followed by action and the willingness, discipline, and grit to do what is necessary, day by day. Above all, we must overcome the fear of change, knowing that today’s world demands courage, conviction, and bold leadership,” said President Ruto.
Why Kenya is on a transformative move
The head of state, who was accompanied by, among others, his deputy Kithure Kindiki and former prime minister Raila Odinga, said the transformation underway throughout the country is real and considerable.
“Profound change is taking place before our eyes: our children are getting quality, relevant education. By January 2026, we will have employed 100,000 teachers, the highest number in our nation’s history, to help build the workforce of the future,” explained President Ruto.
He disclosed that roads are connecting communities while electricity is reaching every village.
“Dignified homes are rising across the country. Farmers are feeding the nation. Millions now access quality healthcare without barriers. Boda boda riders are getting affordable credit, and mama mbogas are thriving in modern markets nationwide,” said the president.
According to President Ruto, this is the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation in action, no longer a distant dream, but a lived reality for millions of hardworking Kenyans whose dreams are now within reach.
