Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway to Kisumu.
The announcement was made by Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o on Tuesday January 30.
According to Nyong’o, major parts of the project will be done by December this year.
Nyong’o indicated the extension would spur businesses in the region.
He stated that transport in Lake Victoria, which was hinged on SGR will now pick up once the extension is completed.
“This is good news because the project will greatly improve transport services between Kisumu and Uganda besides supporting both ordinary travels and businesses,” Nyong’o said.
The Governor noted that the refurbished Kisumu Port will now be vibrant as trains will deliver goods for onward transmission to the neighboring countries.
“The needed expansion of transport between the Lake Region and the rest of Kenya has awaited the arrival of the SGR for a long time. We hope all will be done to expedite this project,”he added.
Nyong’o stated that once completed the SGR will help spur economic growth in Western Kenya and open up the Western Kenya Tourism Circuit, which is blessed with many tourist destinations.
He noted that it was encouraging to hear CS Mukromen announce that the government was aiming to do 35 percent of the project by December this year.
Initially, the SGR was to run from Mombasa to Kisumu, however, the project started by former President Uhuru Kenyatta stalled in Nakuru due to inadequate funding.
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