Ruto unveils plan to extend SGR to Tanzania

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President William Ruto has announced plans to extend Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) network towards Tanzania, saying the proposed connection will strengthen cross-border trade and open up new economic opportunities along the Coast region.

Speaking during a church service in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County, Ruto said the government had set aside about Sh5 billion for the planned railway link from Voi towards Tanzania.

“We are already extending SGR from Naivasha to Kisumu and to the Malaba border. As we extend that, it is also important to link Voi and Tanzania. We've already set aside around KSh5 billion for that project,” Ruto said.

The President said the proposed railway would pass through several parts of Taita Taveta County, with stations planned for Mwatate, Bura, Mwakitau and Taveta before the line crosses into Tanzania.

“You will be able to drop passengers here and carry cargo. Other places are being developed, so don't listen to those saying Taita Taveta should not be developed,” he said.

The announcement comes as Kenya pushes ahead with the expansion of its SGR network towards the western border. Construction of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba railway has already commenced, with the project expected to connect Kenya’s transport network to Uganda and strengthen regional trade.

The Naivasha-Kisumu section covers about 264 kilometres, while the Kisumu-Malaba section will extend for about 107 kilometres to the Uganda border.

The government has presented the railway as part of a wider regional transport corridor designed to improve the movement of passengers and cargo across East Africa.

Ruto said the proposed link towards Tanzania would complement these efforts by connecting Kenya more closely with its southern neighbour.

Kenya’s initial SGR line was developed under the Jubilee administration, running from Mombasa through Nairobi to Naivasha.

The railway was conceived as a modern replacement for the old metre-gauge railway and as a means of improving the movement of people and goods from the Port of Mombasa into the hinterland.

The latest expansion plans would give the railway a broader regional dimension. The government has also linked the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba project to future connections with other East African countries, including Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The proposed Tanzania connection would particularly have implications for Taita Taveta, a county whose strategic location along the Kenya-Tanzania border gives it an important role in cross-border trade and transport.

Ruto said the planned stations would enable residents to benefit from both passenger and freight services, potentially providing new opportunities for businesses along the railway corridor.

The President's announcement also comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s broader push to shift more cargo from roads to rail.

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Government officials have said the expanded SGR network is expected to improve transport efficiency, reduce pressure on highways and stimulate investment in areas connected to the railway.

Beyond the railway project, Ruto promised additional development initiatives for Taita Taveta residents. He also announced that residents would receive title deeds in the following week, addressing a longstanding land ownership concern in the region.