Nairobi–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway

Nairobi–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway
Overview
Type Heavy rail
Status Under development
Termini Nairobi
Malaba
Operation
Opened 2021 (2021) (Expected)
Character Fully grade-separated
Technical
Line length 490[1] km (300 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification None, upgrade planned
Operating speed 120 km/h (75 mph) (passenger)
80 km/h (50 mph) (freight)
Route map
Nairobi–Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba

The Nairobi–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is a standard-gauge railway that connects Kenya's capital city of Nairobi to Malaba, at the international border with Uganda.[2] The Nairobi–Malaba SGR is expected to connect to other standard gauge railways in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, under the East African Railway Master Plan.[3]

The KSh700 billion (US$7 billion) project, is being built in phases. The Nairobi–Naivasha Section is under construction, as of July 2018, with the Naivasha–Kisumu Section to follow and finally the Kisumu–Malaba Section to conclude the Kenya Standard Gauge Railway System.[4]

Route

This part of the SGR in divided into three sections.

Nairobi-Naivasha section

It begins at Syokimau, near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to end at Naivasha in Nakuru County, measuring 120 kilometres (75 mi). Designed to have passenger stations, the section will cost KSh150 billion (US$1.5 billion) to build. China Communication Construction Company is the lead contractor.[3][5]

Naivasha-Kisumu section

This section, measuring 262 kilometres (163 mi), passes through Naivasha, Narok, Bomet, Nyamira to end at Kisumu. The design of the project includes upgrading the port of Kisumu.[1] This section of the SGR is budgeted at KSh370 (US$3.7 billion), funded with a loan from Exim Bank of China.[6]

With the improvement of the port of Kisumu, transport of cargo on Lake Victoria will be promoted with traffic to Mwanza and Musoma in Tanzania, Bukasa, Port Bell and Jinja, in Uganda.[7]

Kisumu-Malaba section

The SGR between Kisumu and Malaba passes through Yala and Mumias, and measures 107 kilometres (66 mi).[1] The Exim Bank of China has predicated the funding of this section of the SGR on Uganda committing to construct the Malaba-Kampala section. A funding agreement is expected to be signed in September 2018, in Beijing.[8]

Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway

In 2011, Kenya signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Road and Bridge Corporation to build a standard-gauge railway from Mombasa to Nairobi. The project cost US$3.6 billion. Financing was finalized in May 2014, with the Exim Bank of China extending a loan for 90 percent of the project cost and the remaining 10 percent coming from the Kenyan government.[9]

Laying of the track was completed in December 2016. Passenger service was officially inaugurated on 31 May 2017.[10]

Freight service began commercial operation on 1 January 2018.[11] China Communications Construction Company will operate the railway for the first five years.[12]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kenya Railways (17 July 2018). "Kenya Railways: SGR Development in Kenya". Nairobi: Kenya Railways. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  2. ↑ Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (7 February 2018). "Nairobi–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (part of Mombasa–Kigali Railway Project)". Addis Ababa: Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 Moore, Jack (12 May 2014). "China Railway to Link Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan". International Business Times. New York City. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  4. ↑ Capital FM Staff (2 May 2018). "Kenya negotiating financing of Sh540b Naivasha–Malaba SGR line". Nairobi: 98.4 Capital FM. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  5. ↑ Thumbi, Joel (20 March 2018). "Nairobi-Naivasha SGR line will spur growth of towns along route". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  6. ↑ Ngugi, Brian (15 July 2017). "Naivasha-Kisumu SGR line takes shape as State seeks Nema nod". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  7. ↑ Raballa, Victor (11 October 2017). "SGR plan rekindles hope for regional trade in Kisumu". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  8. ↑ Angeline (13 July 2018). "Uganda Set to Sign Final Financial Deal for Kisumu-Malaba SGR Line". The Kenyan Wall Street. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  9. ↑ Daily Nation Reporter, and Presidential Security Communication United (11 May 2014). "Kenya, China sign standard gauge railway agreement". Daily Nation. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  10. ↑ BBC News (31 May 2017). "Kenya opens Nairobi-Mombasa Madaraka Express Railway". British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  11. ↑ Kangethe, Kennedy (30 January 2018). "SGR freight service moves over 1600 containers in January". Nairobi: 98.4 Capital FM. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  12. ↑ Maundu, Pius (29 May 2016). "Mombasa-Nairobi section of the SGR to be complete by June next year". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
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