Commissioning the Construction of the Riruta-Ngong Meter Gauge Railway Line

H.E. President William Ruto PhD today commissioned the construction of the Riruta-Ngong meter gauge railway line, which, on completion, has the capacity to move 10,000 people daily.

Accompanied by the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen, the President, said that this was transport infrastructure supporting the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA)by facilitating movement, lowering the cost of living and creating jobs.

President Ruto noted that Kenyans on the Rituta-Karen-Bulbul-Ngong line route will save up to 50 per cent of their transport budget, money that can be used for other purposes.

The project will also create skilled and unskilled, direct, and indirect employment opportunities for the youth.

After completion of the Riruta-Ngong section, the Ministry of Roads and Transport shall extend it to Kiserian and back to Nairobi through Ongata Rongai.

This railway line is part of the Nairobi Masterplan, which is set to transform transport in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area.

The extension of this line into Kajiado, one of Nairobi's bedrooms, comes after the rehabilitation of the Thika-Nanyuki, Longonot-Malaba and Nakuru Kisumu metre Gauge lines which have greatly enhanced the movement of people and goods.

The Ministry has linked the Standard Gauge Railway with the Meter Gauge Railway in Naivasha, ensuring seamless movement of wagons to and from Uganda.

This is one of the successes that have been achieved this year.

Even with the Government giving transporters a choice between the SGR and road, the amount of cargo moved by rail has increased from 4.8 million tonnes when the current government took office to 7.8 million tonnes. It is hoped that by the end of next year, a target of 8.1 million tonnes will be achieved.

It is worth noting that for the first time in the history of our country, Kenya has been able to take goods from Mombasa directly to Mwanza, Tanzania.

The Bus Rapid Transport is also on course, with the contractor set to move on site in the New Year.

Present was the Transport Principal Secretary Mr.Mohamed Daghar, Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, MPs George Kariuki (Ndia), Onesmus Ngogoyo (Kajiado North), George Sunkuyie (Kajiado West), Parashina Sakimba (Loitoktok), John Kiarie (Dagoreti South), Phelix Odiwuor Jalang'o (Langata) among other leaders.