NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 7– President William Ruto has announced plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a move aimed at bolstering regional trade and investment.
Speaking during the opening of the East Africa Community (EAC) Inter-Parliamentary Games in Mombasa, Ruto emphasized the importance of this infrastructure expansion for regional integration.
He stated that the SGR extension will facilitate easier transportation across borders, enhancing connectivity among East African nations.
“We have now agreed with Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC that the Standard Gauge Railway will be extended from Naivasha to Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC so that we both can use the SGR whenever we are going to these places,” Ruto said.
“These pieces of infrastructure are important for the integration of our region.”
According to Ruto, SGR’s extension is expected to significantly boost intra-regional trade, which currently stands at 28 percent, while contributing to the broader goals of economic integration within the East African Community.
He highlighted that this move could lay the foundation for the integration of the entire African continent under the proposed African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Already Uganda has launched ground operations for the construction of the SGR, with the first phase of the project set to begin with a 272 km stretch from Malaba to Kampala.
Earlier,Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni revealed that the construction would proceed in phases, with the Malaba to Kampala section expected to be completed in approximately four years.
Kenya will also fast-track the development of the Naivasha to Kisumu SGR line, with plans to begin operations in January 2025.
Source: capitalfm
