According to the Africa Star Railway Operation Company (AfriStar), the firm responsible for operating and maintaining Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) between Mombasa, Nairobi, and Suswa, the SGR has transported over 14.8 Million passengers since its commissioning.
In a statement on Tuesday, March 4, Afristar further noted that the SGR transported over 3.018 million twenty-foot-long containers and an additional 38.47 million tonnes of goods.
The company has also recorded a total of 2,831 days of safe SGR operations since its inception in June 2017.
"By February 28, 2025, this is what we have achieved: Passenger No: Over 14.75 million passengers were transported. Freight Services: Over 3.018 million TEUs & 38.47 million tons of goods transported. Safety: 2,831 days of safe SGR operations. We continue to aim higher!" it stated.
The report comes days after the government notified the public of its intention to acquire more land for the Standard Gauge Railway Line Phase 2A in the area along Nairobi-Naivasha.
According to the Principal Secretary (PS) for Transport, Mohammed Daghar, the project will further extend the rail system from Naivasha to Malaba.
According to the PS, the government will also extend the construction of the railway line to Uganda at a cost of Ksh 648 billion, funded by the Chinese government.
The project, which is expected to take four years, is scheduled to begin this year and will connect Kenya with Uganda, the DRC, South Sudan, and Rwanda.
According to a report released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the SGR has reported a passenger drop of 50,780 and a reduction in cargo volumes in 2024.
According to the Third Quarter Gross Domestic Product Report 2024, released on January 7, 2025, commuters using train services decreased from 701,132 passengers in the third quarter of 2023 to 650,352 passengers in the same period in 2024.
The report indicated that the decline represented a 7.2 per cent drop in passengers ferried by the train service.
Similarly, a dip in cargo transported through the SGR was recorded, dealing a major blow to the services and operations of the train service.
“Freight transported via SGR contracted by 0.8 per cent to stand at 1,720.3 thousand metric tonnes during the period under consideration compared to 1,735.0 thousand metric tonnes in the third quarter of 2023,” KNBS stated.
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