The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) targets setting up 12 commercial and logistics hubs on the 966-kilometre Mombasa-Malaba standard gauge railway (SGR) line as preparations to extend the key line to Uganda gather steam.
KRC disclosed that 12 locations have been identified to host the hubs that would serve both the SGR and metre gauge railway as part of Phase 2B and 2C of the project that covers the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba section.
“Kenya Railways intends to introduce commercial and logistic hubs in both the metre gauge railway and standard gauge railway. The approach is during the development of SGR Phase 2B and Phase 2C, adequate land be acquired as part of the project at the identified locations and have the private sector participate in the development of the commercial and or logistics hub,” said KRC.
The hubs are marked for establishment in Narok, Bomet, Sotik or Kericho, Nyamira, Kisumu, Luanda or Vihiga, and Kakamega or Mumias.
KRC is also considering establishing commercial and logistics hubs in Busia or Malaba, Voi, Konza, Athi River, and Naivasha.
The proposed Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba (Phase 2B & 2C) SGR line is approximately 369.3 kilometre and forms part of the planned 966 kilometre Mombasa- Malaba SGR line, which would connect the landlocked countries such as Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan to the port of Mombasa.
“With the Ugandans constructing the SGR in their country, there is a need to implement the project on our end for seamless connectivity to the hinterland and avoid shift of the transport and trade route from the Northern Corridor to the Central Corridor,” KRC said.
A plan by the corporation shows that Phase 2B of the SGR project will include construction of the 255 kilometres line from Narok to Kisumu with modifications of the Kisumu port, including an eight kilometre branch line.
A work plan by KRC shows that the key components of the proposed Phase 2B railway project include rail, sleepers, tunnels, bridges, stations, and locomotives. It also will entail the construction of two multi-purpose berths (and associated facilities) and workboat berths so as to accommodate the safe lying of ships.
The rail firm said the Kisumu port has shown potential for growth according to a report by the Kenya Ports Authority with bigger volumes of transit and export cargo handled there.
“Therefore, completion of the SGR will lead to an increase in the rail market share of the port throughput. The same report states that Kisumu port received 90 vessels in 2022 where the number has doubled since 2018,” KRC said.
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Phase 3 of the SGR project will involve the construction of the Malaba to Kampala, Uganda to Kigali, Rwanda line for which feasibility and preliminary designs are also being undertaken, the Kenyan government revealed.
Uganda is building a 272-kilometre SGR line from Malaba, on the Kenyan border, to Kampala, its capital, as part of a larger 1,700-kilometer network, with the first phase of construction launched in November 2024.
