The Kenyan and Ugandan governments have committed to starting the construction of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba and Malaba-Kampala Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line by December.
In a joint communique Friday following a regional Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers meeting, the two countries announced that they have completed harmonizing the technical specifications and standards.
“The Cabinet Secretary/Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to Expedite the completion of construction of the remaining SGR sections from Naivasha in Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and DRC and develop an implementation roadmap,” read the communique.
The ministers have also committed to establishing a framework that facilitates cross-border maintenance of the SGR assets and facilities.
Further, they have committed to harmonizing the planning and development of inland water transport infrastructure, including developing navigation charts to provide seamless multimodal transport services within the NCIP.
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“The Cabinet Secretary/Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to fast track the development and harmonization of the policy, legal and institutional framework for SGR and pursue joint mobilization of resources,” read the communique.
The meeting was attended by Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Roads and Transport, Jimmy Gasore, Minister of Infrastructure of the Republic of Rwanda; Roger Te Biasu representing the Minister of Transport of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Fred Byamukama, Minister of State for Works and Transport (Transport) of the Republic of Uganda.)
The SGR was one of the Jubilee government’s mega projects aimed at helping accelerate economic growth.
