President William Ruto has announced plans to begin the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to the Malaba border in 2026.
Speaking on Saturday, November 15, during the ODM founders' dinner in Mombasa, Ruto said the construction works for the extension of SGR will commence in January 2026.
“The SGR was in the original ODM manifesto, and that is why I must move the railway from Naivasha to Kisumu to Malaba.
“And by the way, I am beginning to move the SGR by January,” Ruto announced.
The President’s announcement comes days after Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the government is planning to utilize the Railway Development Levy (RDL) to finance the extension of SGR to Malaba.
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Speaking on Friday, November 8, CS Chirchir also said they are exploring options of issuing a bond or seeking loans from development banks.
“We will basically look at financial markets and the available instruments, leveraging, of course, on the (RDLF) revenues. A railway should attract long-term borrowing, and we are looking at a 15-year facility; the 2 per cent RDLF charge is sufficient to support us,” he stated.
The extension of the 475-kilometre SGR line is estimated to cost the government Ksh645.8 billion ($5billion).
The Naivasha–Malaba SGR will pass through Narok, Bomet, Nyamira, Kisumu, and Busia counties.
Previously, the Kenyan government has explored funding options for the extension of the SGR from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In January 2025, President Ruto said Kenya and the UAE had agreed to conduct a feasibility study on the extension of the SGR.
"We are exploring a partnership agreement with the United Arab Emirates to extend the Standard Gauge Railway to connect Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan.
"As part of the plan, we have agreed to conduct a feasibility study on the extension of the SGR due to its capacity to foster regional integration and promote trade," President Ruto remarked.
The first phase of the SGR from Mombasa to Naivasha, which cost over Ksh350 billion, was financed by the Chinese government.
