The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
Kenya is aiming to secure private sector partnerships to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), ensuring smooth movement of goods across the East African Community borders.
Kipchumba Murkomen, the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, highlighted plans to establish special economic zones along the corridor, promising urban transformation in these designated areas.
Addressing a ministerial gathering in Mombasa, Murkomen expressed commitment to completing the remaining SGR sections from Naivasha in Kenya to neighboring countries like Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the DRC. He outlined a strategic roadmap aimed at expediting implementation.
ALSO READ: KeNHA Closes The Following Roads Due To Flooding
Murkomen emphasized the overarching goal of the African Infrastructure Network to connect the East and West Coasts, linking Mombasa to Duala in Cameroon, facilitating seamless connectivity across sister nations, including the DRC.
He stated, “We are dedicated to realizing the SGR vision promptly, leveraging private sector involvement. The current project, spanning from Naivasha to Malaba, with enhancements around Kisumu Port, is estimated at approximately 5.3 billion USD (Ksh.700.3 billion), which we find reasonable.”
Murkomen highlighted the necessity of constructing SGR with climate resilience in mind, given the region’s susceptibility to climate change. He emphasized the importance of infrastructure capable of withstanding floods and storms while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
