By KPC Reporter
North Mugirango constituents have welcomed the planned extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Malaba.
The SGR extension will pass through Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Nyamira and Kisumu counties.
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The railway will connect the benefiting counties to Nairobi, the Eastern region all the way to the coastal city of Mombasa.
The extension project is viewed as a game-changer for the agricultural, trade, tourism, and transport sectors in the affected regions.
On Friday, attendees of a public participation meeting at Magwagwa, North Mugirango Constituency welcomed the project.
Area Member of Parliament (MP) Joash Nyamoko said the SGR will unlock the potential of his constituency, Nyamira County and the broader Nyanza region.
“We shall ensure establishment of the SGR terminal in Ikonge as per the initial plan,” Nyamoko said.
Located along the Kisii-Chemosit Road, Ikonge is one of the most strategic markets in Nyamira County.
The market is known for fresh farm produce such as bananas, pineapples and passion fruits.
Ikonge is also strategic for transportation of processed tea from Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) run factories as well as those operated by private investors.
Owing to the high population density in Nyamira, there has been fears that the planned project will displace thousands of people.
Nyamoko said that people whose land will be affected will be compensated.
He urged them to have title deeds before the project begins.
The ambitious project aims to bolster regional connectivity and facilitate trade across the continent.
The SGR project is part of the larger Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor, which aims to create trade corridors between Kenya, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
