Hard truths. Bold Insights. Real talk.
The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) is seeking a contractor to develop a 15-kilometre SGR line linking the Syokimau passenger terminus with Nairobi Central Station, which is currently served only by the older metre-gauge railway (MGR).
The report, Corruption Risk Assessment of Infrastructure Projects in Kenya, indicates that the SGR recorded the highest corruption risk among three major projects reviewed between September 2025 and March 2026.
The court reaffirmed that access to public information is a constitutional right under Article 35, stressing that secrecy claims must meet strict legal thresholds and cannot override transparency in publicly funded projects.
PS Mohamed Daghar says the wider plan is designed to respond to increasing pressure on Nairobi’s road network, driven by population growth, urban expansion, and rising demand for daily travel.
Addressing the gathering, Junet dismissed claims that the railway was a “rail to nowhere,” arguing that such views were based on a lack of understanding of the project’s broader plan. He maintained that the railway has always been intended to grow into a key link connecting Kenya to the wider region.
Kenya borrowed Sh655 billion ($5.08 billion) from the China Export-Import Bank in the year ending June 2015 for the SGR project, covering the Mombasa-Nairobi section and the subsequent line to Naivasha. Since then, the country has been servicing the loans by paying interest twice annually, in January and July, with the initial maturity ranging between January 2029 and July 2035.
The new service covers about 14 to 17 kilometres, connecting the Mombasa SGR Terminus in Miritini to the Mombasa Central Business District (CBD), making stops at Miritini, Changamwe West, Changamwe East, Shimanzi, and Mombasa Central Station.
Data shows that the Madaraka Express earned Sh2.068 billion between January and June, an 11.65 percent increase from Sh1.85 billion over the same period in 2024.
The warning comes days after the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reported a drop in passenger numbers on the SGR service
In a statement released by PS Sing’Oei, the discussions focused on positioning the SGR as a key pillar in Kenya’s economic transformation and regional integration.
Uganda Railway Corporation Managing Director Benon Kajuna said the country had already paid its 15 per cent contribution for the project to the contractor.
The last time passenger traffic fell below the current numbers was in 2022, when only 518,780 people used the service, earning Sh569.27 million.