Construction of the long-awaited Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) extension is set to commence in July 2026, with Kenya Railways confirming that preparations for the multi-billion-shilling project are now in the final stages.

The State corporation announced that it had intensified activities ahead of the start of works, including public engagements with affected landowners and inspections of properties earmarked for acquisition along the project corridor.

In Kisumu County, Kenya Railways held a public sensitisation meeting on June 24 for landowners affected by the proposed Kibos Terminus, one of the key facilities planned under the railway extension project.

The meeting brought together property owners from Kisumu Town East Sub-county whose parcels were listed in Gazette Notice No. 4986 published on April 2, 2026, paving the way for compulsory acquisition.

During the engagement, officials presented the proposed design of the Kibos Terminus and outlined the areas that will be affected once construction begins.

Representatives from the National Land Commission (NLC) also took residents through the legal procedures governing compulsory land acquisition, valuation and compensation under the Land Act, 2012.

The commission further informed affected property owners that inspections of gazetted parcels would begin on June 25 as part of the compensation process ahead of the project's rollout.

Separately, Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga led a high-level delegation to Narok County, where officials conducted a site inspection of the proposed railway corridor and reviewed readiness for the commencement of works.

Confirming the timeline, Kenya Railways stated that the project had advanced to the implementation stage after completing route planning and validation exercises that informed the final design of the railway.

"The Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Project has reached a significant milestone, with Kenya Railways progressing preparations for the commencement of construction works following the successful completion of the Route Planning and Validation Exercise," the corporation said.

The railway extension forms part of the government's wider plan to connect Naivasha to Kisumu and onwards to Malaba, enhancing cargo movement, regional trade and transport efficiency along the Northern Corridor while creating thousands of jobs during construction.

The commencement of works comes months after the government awarded the estimated Ksh700 billion contract to Chinese firms China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

It also follows a recent Court of Appeal ruling directing the government to make public documents relating to the original SGR project after judges found that withholding information on the taxpayer-funded railway was unconstitutional.

Credits: https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/124623-construction-ksh-700b-naivasha-kisumu-malaba-sgr-set-begin-july