Ruto: Narok–Kisumu SGR section key to turning Kisumu into logistics hub

Speaking on March 19, 2026 during the groundbreaking ceremony at Emurtoto village in Suswa, Narok County, Ruto said the 262.3km Narok–Kisumu section (SGR Phase 2B) will connect Nairobi’s industrial corridor to major production zones in Narok, Bomet, Kericho and Nyamira, before linking to Kisumu.

Ruto said SGR freight operations currently generate over Ksh1.3 billion monthly, while passenger revenue has grown by about 40%, surpassing Ksh4 billion annually. He added that passenger revenue hit Ksh602 million in December 2025.

He argued that terminating the railway at Narok limits its economic value, saying the extension is necessary to reach Western Kenya’s production areas and connect with lake transport in Kisumu.

The President cited growing demand for efficient logistics, saying transit cargo through the Port of Mombasa reached 7.37 million tonnes in the first six months of 2025, with nearly 70% destined for Uganda.

He said cargo still takes up to 80 hours from Mombasa to Malaba and over 100 hours to Kampala.

Ruto said the Naivasha–Kisumu section is expected to reduce logistics costs, boost freight volumes, create jobs during construction, and decongest roads by shifting cargo from trucks to rail.

He acknowledged the project will require “hundreds of billions of shillings,” but said it will be built as a freight-driven, phased and demand-driven investment leveraging “innovative financing” and integrated with logistics hubs and multi-modal transport systems.

Ruto also said the government plans to break ground in Kisumu on Saturday for the 107km Phase 2C section linking Kisumu to Malaba in Busia County, saying the goal is a nearly 1,000km continuous rail corridor from Mombasa to Malaba.