Editor's Review

According to Orengo, the extended SGR line is expected to interlink the 14 counties.

President William Ruto has endorsed a plan presented by Siaya Governor James Orengo for the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Malaba border. 

In a statement dated Monday, December 4, Orengo announced that the Head of State had bought into the idea which was collectively brainstormed by governors from Lake Region Economic Block (LREB).

According to Orengo, the extended line is expected to interlink the 14 LREB counties which include Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Homabay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Transnzoia, Vihiga around Lake Victoria and its environs.

The SGR extension is expected to bolster the transport of goods as most of the 14 counties are major producers of agricultural products. It is touted to improve the movement of passengers within the region.

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File photo of a train on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). PHOTO | COURTESY

To actualise the idea, Governor James Orengo accompanied President Ruto to India where they engaged the government to finance the project.

Besides SGR, the governors also pitched the idea of establishing a Solar Energy Park with a capacity of 280MW with each of the 14 counties getting between 10-50MW.

"I led a delegation from Lake Region Economic Block (LREB) including Governors Stephen Sang of Nandi and Dr. Hillary Barchok (Bomet) to appraise President William Ruto on the MOUs LREB has signed with Indian government ministries and departments ahead of a meeting between President Ruto and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," Orengo's statement read in part.

"The MOUs by LREB are one to establish a Solar Energy Park with a capacity of 280MW with each of the 14 counties getting between 10-50MW while the second one seeks to extend the SGR from Naivasha to Malaba corridor but at its core is interlinking railway network that connects the 14 LREB counties. President Ruto endorsed both project concepts for further discussions with the government of India," he added.

If India approves the new projects and agrees to finance them, it will be a shift, especially in big infrastructure project funding.

The first phase of SGR construction was funded by China which helped them establish a base in the country. Their working relations with former President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration saw them awarded bids to build the Nairobi Expressway.

However, with the new proposal, China would miss out on the chance to extend the SGR line to Malaba.