Museveni order on the SGR extension complicates Kenya’s railway plan
Museveni order on the SGR extension to Kenyan Bordercomplicates Kenya's railway plan
Museveni order on the SGR extension to Kenyan Bordercomplicates Kenya’s railway plan.
The government of President William Ruto may be forced to revive the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line to link Kenya to Uganda.
This after Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the president of Uganda, announced the idea to extend the SGR line connecting Kampala, the nation’s capital, with the Kenyan border at Malaba.
“We’re going to build a brand new (SGR line) from Kampala to Kasese. Later on, we will (extend it) from Kampala to the border of Kenya and then to South Sudan,” Museveni stated on Tuesday, December 6, in a meeting with private investors.
Museveni argued that the line expansion was key to tackling transport challenges in the landlocked country.
“We want to lower the cost of transport and improve our competitiveness,” Museveni insisted.
Ruto’s administration will probably feel pressured by the choice to think about extending the SGR line from Naivasha to the border so that it may connect with the Ugandan line.
Professor XN Iraki, an economist, praised Museveni’s move to expand the SGR line in a statement to local media.
Ruto might also be forced, according to him, to restart the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba SGR line.
“The decision by Museveni was a good one, it would probably put pressure on Kenya to expand its part. In fact, SGR should not be a Kenyan project, it should be an East African project,” Iraki stated.
It was unclear whether Kenya has a financer for the project. However, Iraki proposed a joint bid by the two countries to secure funds to expand the railway line project.
“What the two governments should actually do is to come together and come up with a budget and expand that line to Uganda. Its extension will benefit other East African countries,” Iraki insisted.
Defending his sentiments, the economist maintained that the SGR extension will benefit not only Kenya but Uganda, which is landlocked and depends on the Mombasa Port.
“When the Railway was built from Kenya to Uganda, it was called Uganda Railway. Although Kenya was in the equation, getting Uganda to the Coast was the most important thing because it was landlocked.
It was also supposed to serve South Sudan and Tanzania,” Iraki said.
Meanwhile, Kenya failed to secure funding for the project stalling the SGR extension plan.
Also read,
Azimio, Ford-Kenya candidates clash in Bungoma by-election
Varsity students invent Ugali flour from grass
World Bank mobilizing KSh306bn for Kenyan projects
Azimio outlines its nine-point agenda as it promises to march to the State House with sufurias
Follow us
