CS Murkomen's Ambitious Plan To Extend SGR To DRC
During the launch of the Kenya Railways Strategic Plan 2023-2027 in Mombasa, the CS highlighted the government’s comprehensive approach to the future of rail transport.
Prudence Murithi 
The Kenyan government on Friday, May 24 announced its commitment to extending the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Malaba and further, aiming to enhance the competitiveness of the Northern transport corridor.
In a recent statement, Roads, Transport and Public Works CS, Kipchumba Murkomen, outlined plans to collaborate with the Interstate Ministerial Committee on the SGR Cluster to explore viable financial options for extending the SGR from Malaba through Kasese in Uganda, and finally to Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as a way of boosting regional trade.
During the launch of the Kenya Railways Strategic Plan 2023-2027 in Mombasa, the CS highlighted the government’s comprehensive approach to the future of rail transport.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen speaking during the launch of the Kenya Railways Strategic Plan 2023-2027, in Mombasa on May 24, 2024. /KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN
“This plan will steer the implementation of key priority initiatives in the rail transport sector over the next five years," he revealed.
The plan outlines ambitious goals for Kenya Railways, including the development and enhancement of rail infrastructure, expansion of freight and passenger transport, increasing the market share of the port of Mombasa, fostering a skilled workforce, and institutionalizing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards.
The CS also commended the management and staff of Kenya Railways for their achievement in creating the strategic plan and encouraged them to work together towards meeting its objectives.
The strategic plan is expected to be a cornerstone in transforming Kenya’s rail transport sector and significantly boosting regional trade.
On January 27, Murkomen announced that the construction of the SGR extension from Nakuru to Kisumu would be completed at the end of this year, indicating that the government is projecting to complete 35 per cent of the project by December 2024.
However, he did not reveal the exact date the construction would commence, neither did he reveal the cost of the construction.
The SGR was initially slated to run from Mombasa to Kisumu but the project which was started by former President Uhuru Kenyatta stalled in Nakuru owing to inadequate funds.
The first phase of the SGR which was built at a cost of more than Ksh350 billion was financed by the Chinese government.
Nonetheless, the SGR is ultimately expected to be extended from Kisumu to Uganda as per the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Kenya and Uganda on July 28, 2023.
