Nairobi–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway

The Nairobi–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is the project of standard-gauge railway that should connect Kenya's capital city of Nairobi to Malaba, at the international border with Uganda.[2] The Nairobi–Malaba SGR was to connect other standard gauge railways in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, under the East African Railway Master Plan.[3]

Nairobi–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway
Overview
StatusUnder development
Termini
Service
TypeHeavy rail
History
Opened2021 (2021) (Expected)
Technical
Line length490[1] km (300 mi)
CharacterFully grade-separated
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationNone, upgrade planned
Operating speed120 km/h (75 mph) (passenger)
80 km/h (50 mph) (freight)
Route map
Nairobi–Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba

The KSh700 billion (US$7 billion) project, was to be built in phases. The only part built is the Nairobi–Naivasha section, which was inaugurated on 16 October 2019.[4] The Naivasha–Kisumu Section was to follow and finally the Kisumu–Malaba Section to conclude the Kenya Standard Gauge Railway System.[5]

As per end of 2022 further extension of standard gauge from Naivasha in the Rift Valley looks unlikely.[6]

Route

This part of the SGR is divided into three sections.

Nairobi-Naivasha section

This section begins at Nairobi Terminus in Syokimau, near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and ends at Suswa in Narok County, measuring 120 kilometres (75 mi). Designed for passenger and freight traffic, the section was estimated to cost KSh150 billion (US$1.5 billion). China Communication Construction Company was the lead contractor.[3][7] President Kenyatta inaugurated this section during a celebration at Maai Mahiu SGR Terminus on 16 October 2019. Train stations are located at Ongata Rongai, Ngong, Maai Mahiu, and Suswa, with an interchange station at Nachu.[8] This section crosses Nairobi National Park on a bridge, between Nairobi Terminus and Ongata Rongai stations.

As per year 2022, the line is open as far as Suswa, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Naivasha, in the Rift Valley.[6]

Naivasha-Kisumu section

This section, measuring 262 kilometres (163 mi), was intended to pass through Narok, Bomet, Nyamira to end at Kisumu, in 2019 the sixth largest city of Kenya. The design of the project included upgrading the port of Kisumu.[1] This section of the SGR was budgeted at KSh370 (US$3.7 billion), intended to be funded with a loan from Exim Bank of China.[9] With the upgraded port on Lake Victoria and rail transport without break of gauge cargo could have been shipped on the lake to and from Mwanza and Musoma in Tanzania as well as Bukasa, Port Bell and Jinja in Uganda efficiently.[10]

In 2017 an opening of the line, possibly through to Uganda, was predicted for 2020.[11] The plans not materialising due to lack of funding, five years later a project to rebuild the metre gauge line from the Ugandan capital Kampala to the frontier and onwards to the existing Kenyan metre gauge railway found funding from the African Development Bank.[12]

Kisumu-Malaba section

The SGR between Kisumu and Malaba on the frontier to Uganda should pass through Yala and Mumias, being 107 kilometres (66 mi) long.[1] The Exim Bank of China has proposed the funding the Ugandan section Malaba-Kampala. A funding agreement was expected to be signed in September 2018, in Beijing.[13] End of 2019 the standard gauge from Kisumu to Uganda hardly becoming reality, the intention was to connect the Naivasha-Kisumu SGR section to the existing metre gauge railway to Kampala.[14] In December 2022 rehabilitation of the metre gauge from Kisumu to Kampala in Uganda was in progress.[6]

Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway
Main article: Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway

In 2011, Kenya signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Road and Bridge Corporation to build a standard-gauge railway from Mombasa to Nairobi. The project cost US$3.6 billion. Financing was finalized in May 2014, with the Exim Bank of China extending a loan for 90 percent of the project cost and the remaining 10 percent coming from the Kenyan government.[15]

Laying of the track was completed in December 2016. Passenger service was officially inaugurated on 31 May 2017.[16]

Freight service began commercial operation on 1 January 2018.[17] China Communications Construction Company will operate the railway for the first five years.[18]

  • Construction of Ngong Road SGR bridge
    Construction of Ngong Road SGR bridge
  • Construction of SGR railway near Ngong
    Construction of SGR railway near Ngong

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nairobi-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway.

References
  1. Kenya Railways (17 July 2018). "Kenya Railways: SGR Development in Kenya". Nairobi: Kenya Railways. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  2. Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (7 February 2018). "Nairobi–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (part of Mombasa–Kigali Railway Project)". Addis Ababa: Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  3. Moore, Jack (12 May 2014). "China Railway to Link Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan". International Business Times. New York City. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  4. Gitonga, Antony (17 October 2019). "Fanfare as new route is launched". The Standard. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  5. Capital FM Staff (2 May 2018). "Kenya negotiating financing of Sh540b Naivasha–Malaba SGR line". Nairobi: 98.4 Capital FM. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  6. 2022-12-08T14:39:00. "African Development Bank supports Uganda rail link renewals". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  7. Joel Thumbi (20 March 2018). "Nairobi-Naivasha SGR line will spur growth of towns along route". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  8. "President Uhuru launches Nairobi-Suswa SGR". Standard Digital. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  9. Ngugi, Brian (15 July 2017). "Naivasha-Kisumu SGR line takes shape as State seeks Nema nod". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  10. Raballa, Victor (11 October 2017). "SGR plan rekindles hope for regional trade in Kisumu". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  11. 2017-02-03T11:38:36. "Kenya – Uganda construction timescale agreed". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  12. 2022-12-08T14:39:00. "African Development Bank supports Uganda rail link renewals". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  13. Angeline (13 July 2018). "Uganda Set to Sign Final Financial Deal for Kisumu-Malaba SGR Line". The Kenyan Wall Street. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  14. 2019-10-16T12:07:00. "Kenyatta inaugurates SGR Phase 2A". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  15. Daily Nation Reporter, and Presidential Security Communication United (11 May 2014). "Kenya, China sign standard gauge railway agreement". Daily Nation. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  16. BBC News (31 May 2017). "Kenya opens Nairobi-Mombasa Madaraka Express Railway". British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  17. Kangethe, Kennedy (30 January 2018). "SGR freight service moves over 1600 containers in January". Nairobi: 98.4 Capital FM. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  18. Maundu, Pius (29 May 2016). "Mombasa-Nairobi section of the SGR to be complete by June next year". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
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