Kenyan President Attends the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Second Phase of the China-Built Naima Railway Project

The second phase of the Naima Railway, constructed by China Communications Construction Group (hereinafter referred to as “CCCC”), held a groundbreaking ceremony on the 19th in Narok County, Kenya. Kenyan President William Ruto attended the event, with Chinese and foreign builders participating together.
As a key extension of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway and the first phase of the Naima Railway, a flagship project jointly built by China and Kenya under the Belt and Road Initiative, the second phase of the Naima Railway starts from the end point of the first phase at Navasha and terminates in Kisumu, Kenya’s third-largest city and an important transportation hub, with a total length of 272.65 kilometers of main and branch lines.
The project will improve the East African railway network structure, assist Africa’s connectivity and sustainable development.
Ruto said at the groundbreaking ceremony: “The launch of the second phase of the Naima Railway project is an important step in promoting the country’s economic transformation. The railway extension will further improve transportation efficiency, reduce logistics costs, and help Kenya become a hub in the Great Lakes region and the African continental trade system.”
A Chinese project representative said that, as an important flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative in East Africa, the standard gauge railway has become a key engine for regional connectivity and economic development. After the project starts, CCCC will fully leverage its entire industrial chain advantages to efficiently promote construction, deepen localization cooperation, strengthen technical training, create more jobs, and help Kenya’s economic and social development.
According to CCCC, once the entire Naima Railway and the planned standard gauge within Uganda are completed, travel time from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, to Kampala, Uganda’s capital, will be shortened from about 14 hours to about 4 hours, freight costs will decrease by approximately 35%, and the development of agriculture and fisheries in western Kenya will be stimulated. Kisumu will become a regional logistics hub, further boosting trade and economic exchanges with Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, and other countries. ( Xinhua News Agency )