Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan begin feasibility study for Naivasha–Malaba railway extension

The three countries are jointly assessing the technical and financial viability of extending the modern railway from Naivasha to the Malaba border, with the line expected to extend to South Sudan.

According to transport ministers from the three countries, the line is a crucial link in East Africa’s transport network.

According to Transport CS, Davis Chirchir, the line aims to unlock regional economies by improving cargo movement and cutting logistics costs, noting that currently the railway line between Mombasa and Naivasha only accounts for 20 percent of all the cargo transport, an issue that the government hopes can be addressed upon the completion of the line.

The government also plans to open the upgraded railway to private operators who will use the infrastructure and pay toll fees, a model aimed at improving efficiency and attracting investment.

"Ddd even as we talk about the bankability of the project, there's quite a bit of social investment because investment in infrastructure to open up a country does not necessarily always need to meet profitability otherwise we will never build roads we will never build the railway lines," Chirchir stated. 

"That’s how you grow a country you open up the country to movement of goods to market and therefore there is more of financial return on investment on the economy in the broad growth of the economy."

"In East Africa we spend a lot of money to repair roads, why because most of our cargo we have been taking it by road and also the roads are congested because passengers compete with cargo," said Fred Byamukama – Minister of State for Transport, Uganda.

"Now we want cargo to move from Mombasa it comes to Nairobi – Naivasha, Kisumu, Malaba Uganda, it goes to Gulu it goes to Nimble upto Juba, then we can also serve DRC there so much that Kenya needs from DRC."