Railway to ease transport, says Museveni
CAPTION: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, (R) and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto (L) during tha lauch in Kisumu. (PPU Photo).
By Stephen Wandera Ouma
KISUMU – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto have launched the construction of the Kisumu–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Extension (Phase II).
The two presidents symbolically tightened a bolt on the railway line to mark the start of construction works, a significant milestone in regional infrastructure development.
This investment is aimed at reducing transport costs for both
imports and exports within the East African Community (EAC).
President Museveni congratulated President Ruto and the people of Kenya on the development.
“This is a very important function of launching the Naivasha–Kisumu to Malaba Standard Gauge Railway,” President Museveni said on March 21, 2026.
President Museveni said the railway forms part of a broader plan to rationalise the transport system within the region, particularly in Uganda. He said that over-reliance on road transport increases costs and inefficiencies.
“The railway is part of the rationalisation of our transport system, especially on the Ugandan side, which is irrational and wasteful because passengers, light cargo, heavy cargo and petroleum products are all concentrated on the roads,” he said.
President Museveni added that Uganda’s long-term plan is to transfer heavy cargo to the railway, petroleum products to pipelines and water transport, while reserving roads mainly for passengers and light cargo. He added that this approach will reduce road congestion and improve the competitiveness of regional economies.
The president said Africa must focus on producing high- quality but affordable goods to remain competitive globally.
He cited high transport costs, expensive electricity, and the high cost of financing as key challenges affecting business competitiveness.
“If Africa does not address these cost pushers, we shall be outpriced, and our goods will not be competitive even within Africa,” he cautioned.
President Ruto thanked President Museveni for his commitment to regional integration and his long-standing advocacy for East African unity.
Dr Ruto said the Standard Gauge Railway from Suswa through Kisumu to Malaba will unlock Kenya’s economic potential and benefit the entire East African region.
CAPTION: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (L) with his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto (R) during the launch. (PPU Photo).
The multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project is expected to strengthen connectivity to the Port of Mombasa and facilitate trade with landlocked countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Ruto emphasised the growing demand for efficient transport, noting that cargo volumes through the Port of Mombasa reached 7.37 million tonnes in six months of 2025, with nearly 70 per cent destined for Uganda.
Dr Ruto said currently, cargo takes up to 80 hours to move from Mombasa to Malaba and more than 100 hours to move to Kampala. He stressed that slow logistics corridors undermine competitiveness.
“A slow transport corridor inevitably loses business and weakens our competitiveness as a nation,” President Ruto said.
The railway extension is expected to significantly improve the Northern Corridor by reducing transport time, lowering freight costs, and improving the movement of goods between Uganda and the Kenyan coast. The corridor also supports key economic sectors, including agriculture and
fisheries around the Lake Victoria basin, and is expected to become a critical trade route for the Great Lakes region.
The Kisumu–Malaba SGR extension forms part of a broader regional railway network connecting Mombasa, Nairobi, Naivasha, Kisumu, Malaba, and eventually Kampala.
Leaders from the two countries expressed optimism that the project will accelerate regional integration, enhance trade efficiency, and strengthen economic cooperation between them.
The SGR launch was attended by, among others, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda and the Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga and the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala.
