Nine counties eye EAC trade in joint rail upgrade plan

The flags of the member-states of the East African Community. Members are yet to agree on the location of the new commission. Photo/FILE 

By Moses Odhiambo

Counties in Western Kenya have come up with a grand plan to revive railway transport in order to boost investment and ease people’s movement.

The phased development plan will see growth of rail transport linking Kakamega, Vihiga, Siaya, Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira, Kericho and Nandi counties covering 500 kilometres interlinking 57 stations.

The rail development concept drawn by investment consultants from Poyry Railways Inc has highlighted the routes to include a central station in Kisumu city. This will be linked to the standard gauge railway being built from Mombasa port.

According to the plan, the first corridor of 115 kilometres stretches from the main station to Otonglo, Mamboleo, Muhoroni and Kericho with 10 stations in the route.

“There shall also be established a second corridor of 68 kilometres of 10 stations linking Kisumu to Kakamega through Mbale town,” stated Poyry project manager Christian Bergerhoff during the unveiling of the plan.

The plan has also outlined the third corridor of 17km between Kibos and the Kisumu Airport. The fourth corridor will link Chavakali in Vihiga County and Kapsabet through a 51-kilometre rail line.

From Otonglo, another 70 kilometres line will be built through Yala to Siaya town with six stops. Another 100km corridor will connect Nyamira and Kisii counties with nine stations.

“Another route of 70km will break off from Katito towards Homa Bay with nine stops along the line at various points to feed the lake piers,”  he said.

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma said that the revival plans are at an advanced stage starting from the city’s infrastructure to the other regions within the network.

According to the governor, the project also targets the renewal of transport in Lake Victoria aimed to tap into strategic location in the region. Under the plan, there are considerations to move the old railway station to Kibos to give way for development of hotels.

Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti confirmed that the county would work towards realisation of the dream to have a railway line to cater for the delivery of agricultural produce to markets.

Kisumu port  railways manager Mwalimu Disi told the Business Day that the other consideration for counties is to work with the national government to implement the Vision 2030 master plan that would maintain the dry dock as a terminus to serve both rail and marine transport

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In the proposed Vision 2030 project, plans have been drawn to develop the 75 acres of prime land owned by the Kenya Railways stretching from the centre of Kisumu city to the shores of Lake Victoria.

According to Mr Disi, the railway upgrade is envisaged to provide direct link to Kisumu International Airport.

The county expected to share the draft document in a consultative forum with stakeholders and the business community ahead of implementing the new design.