Museveni, Ruto Break Ground for Kisumu–Malaba SGR to Cut Transport Costs

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday joined Kenyan President William Ruto for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kisumu–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), a flagship infrastructure project expected to transform transport and trade across the region.

The ceremony took place in Kisumu, marking a major step toward extending Kenya’s modern rail network to the border with Uganda.

President Museveni described the project as a critical pillar in the rationalisation of transport systems in East Africa, emphasizing the need to shift bulk cargo from roads to more efficient rail and pipeline networks.

He noted that overreliance on road transport has led to high logistics costs and rapid deterioration of infrastructure, challenges that modern rail is designed to address. By moving heavy freight off highways, the railway is expected to reduce transport expenses, protect road infrastructure, and improve overall efficiency in moving goods across borders.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni (L) on Saturday joined Kenyan President William Ruto

Kenyan President William Ruto said the Kisumu–Malaba segment will strengthen the Northern Corridor by linking inland markets more effectively to the port of Mombasa, while also positioning Kisumu as a major logistics hub. The extension is part of a broader regional vision to create seamless connectivity that supports industrial growth, agricultural exports, and cross-border commerce among East African economies.

Museveni stressed that strategic infrastructure investments are essential for lowering the cost of doing business and accelerating industrialisation, not only in Uganda and Kenya but across the continent. Analysts say the project could significantly boost regional economic integration by making bulk transport faster, cheaper, and more reliable, thereby supporting long-term economic transformation in East Africa and Africa at large.