By Mandere Onyinkwa
Residents along the proposed Narok-Bomet-Kisumu railway corridor have been assured of compensation as construction of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway gathers pace.
The government has set aside KSh25 billion to compensate landowners and other people affected by the construction of the railway, raising hopes of improved connectivity, new business opportunities and jobs across counties along the route.
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Kenya Railways Corporation Managing Director Philip Mainga said the National Land Commission (NLC) was conducting public participation ahead of the compensation process, as the government engaged affected landowners on valuations and payments.
Mainga said the NLC had also granted Kenya Railways early access to some sections of land to allow construction activities to proceed as negotiations with affected landowners continued.
Residents have expressed willingness to participate in the consultations and work with the government to ensure a smooth compensation process.
Speaking during a public participation meeting, Mzee Stephen Ruto, a resident of Kapkesosio village, welcomed the project, saying it would connect Bomet County to the rest of Kenya, the East African region and beyond.
The railway is expected to open up communities along the corridor to wider markets, while improving the movement of agricultural produce and other goods to domestic and international destinations.
Economic hubs planned along the route
Construction of Phase 2B of the SGR project is gathering momentum, with Narok among the areas where work began early.
The railway will cover approximately 98 kilometres within Narok County, while the wider corridor will pass through Bomet, Nyamira, Kericho, Homa Bay and Kisumu counties.
Mainga said the project was being developed as an SGR Economic Belt, with logistics hubs and value-addition facilities planned along the route to stimulate local economies.
Narok’s proposed economic focus will include agriculture, livestock and tourism, while Bomet and Kericho are expected to benefit from logistics hubs targeting the tea industry.
Kisumu is also expected to host a logistics hub focused on fish, including facilities to support storage and the transportation of fish to other markets.
The railway is expected to facilitate the movement of locally produced commodities, including tea, coffee and sugar, to the Port of Mombasa for export.
For farmers, traders and businesses along the corridor, the planned logistics infrastructure could improve access to markets and create opportunities for processing, storage and distribution.
The project is also expected to generate employment during construction and support small businesses as economic activity increases along the railway route.
Residents look to jobs and better connectivity
The railway is part of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which seeks to expand economic opportunities and strengthen transport infrastructure.
Its construction was launched by President William Ruto on March 19, 2026, with completion expected to take approximately two years.
The Narok railway station is expected to be partially complete by June 2027, providing a key milestone as construction progresses.
Beyond transport, the project is expected to reshape economic activity in communities along the corridor by linking producers to markets, supporting regional trade and creating opportunities for businesses serving the railway and its users.
Landowners will be expected to engage the relevant authorities as valuations and negotiations continue ahead of the project’s full implementation.
