Kenya Railways today hosted a stakeholder consultative forum in Kisumu County bringing together regional leadership led by Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o to deliberate on the upcoming construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Phase 2B project. The forum brought together officials from the National Land Commission, Members of Parliament and Members of the County Assembly to discuss the anticipated socio-economic impact of the project in the region.
Acknowledging the significant economic contribution of the Metre Gauge Railway in the region, Governor Nyong’o noted that the SGR Phase 2B will mark a major advancement in transport capacity, efficiency, speed and reliability. He expressed optimism that residents of Kisumu will greatly benefit from the project through employment opportunities during construction and in the long term. The Governor further emphasized that the project will elevate Kisumu’s strategic role as a logistics hub linking Kenya with neighboring countries including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan.
The corridor is expected to expand regional trade, lower the cost of doing business, stimulate industrial parks, strengthen agricultural value chains and catalyze new investments in warehousing, cold storage, fisheries and manufacturing.
Also present at the meeting were Members of Parliament including Shakeel Shabbir, Rosa Buyu and James Onyango K’Oyoo, alongside Members of the Kisumu County Assembly. The leaders pledged their support for the project, citing its significance to the people of Kisumu. They commended Kenya Railways and the National Land Commission for holding the joint forum and urged them to conduct more engagements at the grassroots level to ensure the involvement of all Project Affected Persons (PAPs).
The Managing Director of Kenya Railways, Philip Mainga, assured regional leaders that the corporation is committed to ensuring that the construction of the line—classified as a Category A project—will strictly adhere to all regulatory requirements while prioritizing public safety. He added that infrastructure and facilities affected along the corridor will be relocated where necessary, and that the corporation plans to undertake various Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to support communities affected by the project.
Representing the National Land Commission ,Director Joel Ombati outlined the land acquisition and compensation process, emphasizing that due diligence will be conducted and that all individuals displaced by the project will receive fair and lawful compensation.