Kenya Railways Addresses Compensation Concerns Over SGR Extension Displacements

Kenya Railways has set the record straight on compensating Kisumu residents ahead of the commissioning of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) extension.

The 269-kilometre project is set to be commissioned by President William Ruto on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

The extension aims to position Kisumu as a central logistics hub, eventually connecting to Malaba to facilitate trade with Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

While speaking to the media on Friday, March 20, 2026, Kenya Railways Corporation Managing Director Philip Mainga said the project will affect residents living along the corridor, with approximately 5,000 acres earmarked for the railway line.

Kenya Railways Assures Kisumu Residents of Compensation Ahead of SGR Launch

Mainga assured affected residents that compensation processes are already underway and will be completed in phases.

“By this coming week, gazettement and everything will be done. Then we go to valuation and then we compensate them. So we are on course in terms of land compensation, and by the way, we have talked to all our people. None of them have we met. We have met everybody from Naivasha to Kisumu and all the way to Malaba,” he said.

He added that the project is expected to transform Kisumu into a key commercial hub in the region.

“Being a central area, Kisumu needs to be an artery of business and transactions, and we look forward to seeing the neighbourhood benefit and the value addition of our materials, whether it is coffee, tea, or pyrethrum,” Mainga explained.

Also Read: Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba SGR: Full Route, Stations and What to Expect

About the SGR Project and Launch

The launch follows a prior groundbreaking ceremony held on Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Narok County for the Naivasha section of the line.

The commissioning ceremony is scheduled to take place at Kibos, near the Kenya Pipeline Company depot in Kisumu.

Also Read: How to Book SGR Train Ticket to Mombasa

Phase 2B of the SGR features a 264-kilometre main line and an 8.69-kilometre branch leading to Kisumu Port. The railway has a freight capacity of 4,000 tonnes and supports passenger trains operating at speeds of up to 120 km/h.

Construction of the project is projected to be completed by June 2027.

President Ruto has, on numerous occasions, described the extension as a “strategic economic intervention” aimed at lowering transport costs, unlocking Western Kenya’s potential, boosting freight volumes and economic activity, and positioning Kenya as a regional trade and logistics hub connecting to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the DRC via the Port of Mombasa.

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