Kenya’s planned extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Suswa through Kisumu to Malaba is expected to significantly enhance regional trade and strengthen East African integration, with Uganda poised to be one of the biggest beneficiaries.
Speaking at the launch, Kenyan President William Ruto praised President Yoweri Museveni for his consistent commitment to regional integration and his long-standing advocacy for East African unity.
President Ruto said the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project will unlock Kenya’s economic potential while delivering far-reaching benefits across the region, particularly for landlocked countries that depend on the Port of Mombasa for international trade.
The railway is expected to improve connectivity between the Kenyan coast and inland markets, facilitating cargo movement to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Highlighting the urgency of the project, President Ruto noted that cargo throughput at the Port of Mombasa reached 7.37 million tonnes in the first six months of 2025, with nearly 70 percent of that volume destined for Uganda.
He observed that cargo currently takes up to 80 hours to move from Mombasa to Malaba and more than 100 hours to reach Kampala, warning that inefficient transport corridors continue to undermine business competitiveness in the region.
“A slow transport corridor inevitably loses business and weakens our competitiveness as a nation,” President Ruto said.
The Kisumu–Malaba SGR extension is expected to transform the Northern Corridor by cutting transit time, reducing freight costs, and easing the movement of goods between Uganda and the Kenyan coast.
Beyond trade, the corridor is also expected to support agriculture, fisheries, and other productive sectors around the Lake Victoria basin, positioning it as a strategic economic lifeline for the wider Great Lakes region.
The project forms part of a broader regional railway network that will connect Mombasa, Nairobi, Naivasha, Kisumu, Malaba, and eventually Kampala, in what leaders describe as a major step toward seamless regional connectivity.
Leaders from Kenya and Uganda expressed optimism that the railway extension will accelerate regional integration, improve trade efficiency, and deepen economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
The launch was attended by Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, as well as the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala.
Keywords: Kenya, Uganda, Standard Gauge Railway, SGR, William Ruto, Yoweri Museveni, regional integration, East African Community, Malaba, Kisumu, Suswa, Mombasa Port, Northern Corridor, trade, cargo transport, infrastructure, Rebecca Kadaga, Katumba Wamala, Great Lakes region, East African unity.
