The Kisumu Safari Train is set to resume operations by next month, once the restoration of the damaged Uplands–Kijabe–Longonot Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) concludes, Kenya Railways Corporation has announced.
In a statement on Monday, Kenya Railways relayed that the restoration line, which was destroyed by rainfall last year, is already 70 per cent complete.
"In April 2024, unprecedented rains and severe washaways damaged sections of the Uplands–Kijabe–Longonot Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) line, disrupting rail services and affecting both freight and passenger movement along the corridor," the statement read in part.
"Kenya Railways is proud to report steady progress in the restoration of this critical MGR infrastructure, which is currently over 70 per cent complete, with a target to reopen the line by December 2025."
The rehabilitation of the railway line includes, among others, building multiple cell culverts, stabilising embankments, reconstructing drainage systems, and enhancing the line’s resilience to withstand future weather extremes.
When it was destroyed in April, the then Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen estimated that the total cost of its restoration would amount to Ksh1 billion.
"We have not done the total computation, but as you can see, the destruction is massive and so we require a sizeable amount of investment to restore it," Murkomen said.
At least five sections of the railway from Rironi to Longonot had been cut off due to the massive floods in the area caused by heavy rains.
This disconnection caused a major disruption in the transportation of cargo from Mombasa to Kampala.
When restored, it will retain the Northern Corridor as the most attractive transport route, according to Kenya Railways.
"When it reopens in December, the MGR will restore a key connection between the Central and Western regions, paving the way for the resumption of the Kisumu Safari Train, which will enhance travel, trade, and tourism across the Lake Region," Kenya Railways relayed.
"Freight operations will also resume, facilitating the efficient movement of cargo destined for the Western region as well as transit cargo to Uganda, South Sudan, and beyond, further reinforcing Kenya’s role as the gateway to East and Central Africa."
