Quo Vadis SGR Mombasa to Kampala

TANZANIA’S DEAL WITH BURUNDI AND CONGO DEALS NEAR LETHAL BLOW TO NORTHERN CORRIDOR SGR LINE (Posted 10th December 2019) (Once upon a time … ) When news emerged from Tanzania earlier in the week that the governments of Burundi and DR Congo had signed a deal, linking their countries to the Central Corridor SGR line, […]

Kenya to launch second phase of SGR later today

NAIROBI TO NAIVASHA BY TRAIN – TODAY BECOMING A REALITY (Posted 16th October 2019) The second phase of Kenya’s standard gauge railway, aka SGR, will be launched later today by President Kenyatta, extending the new railway line from Mombasa via Nairobi to Naivasha. For the time being are only passenger services planned, reportedly with one […]

SGR – a long line of U-turns

FIRST ISSUING A FOOD AND DRINK PROHIBITION ORDER AND THEN MAKING A U-TURN – TEXT BOOK BEHAVIOUR BY KENYA RAILWAYS (Posted 07th October 2019) Kenya Railways has lifted their prohibition order to passengers on the SGR trains to bring food and drinks after a public outcry once again forced the company’s management to take down […]

#Uganda extension of SGR faltering for lack of funding

#KENYA AND UGANDA TO INVEST NEARLY 600 MILLION US DOLLARS TO REHABILITATE OLD RAILWAY LINE (Posted 19th May 2019) Kenya’s failure to secure funding for the third section of the planned SGR railway line between Mombasa and the Ugandan border has led to some frantic activity on both sides to refurbish the existing old railway […]

President Museveni’s visit to #Kenya bears fruits as SGR railway extension agreed

KENYA – UGANDA SGR RAILWAY MAKES AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS REALITY (Posted 31st March 2019) The just concluded visit by Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to Kenya has yielded instant results, as far as the planned Standard Gauge Railway connection between the two countries was concerned. After ending his visit to Mombasa – East Africa’s […]

Dar es Salaam to Kigali railway gets boost after Uganda / Kenya SGR dispute

#RWANDA’S RAIL LINK TO DAR ES SALAAM BENEFITS FROM UNCERTAINTY OVER SGR EXTENSION TO KENYA / UGANDA BORDER (Posted 01st November 2018) (Lack of financial closure of Kenyan section from Kisumu to the Ugandan border now cast doubts over the timeframe of the entire SGR project in Uganda) News have emerged over substantial differences over […]

SGR racism controversy rages on as Transport Secretary says change only in 2027

#KENYA’S TRANSPORT SECRETARY MACHARIA FAILS TO APPEASE THE NATION OVER SGR CONTROVERSY (Posted 18th July 2018) (Does this slogan reflect reality or is it just a window dress) Kenya’s James Macharia, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, stepped into the proverbial when he made statements earlier in the week to the fact that not only will the […]

#Uganda under pressure to make progress on #SGR project

#NCIP SUMMIT IN NAIROBI PUTS #KAMPALA UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT (Posted 02nd July 2018) Some level of frustration can be sensed from various media releases and comments made by usually well informed individuals about the progress, or non progress, of one of the NCIP’s main projects, the SGR, short for Standard Gauge Railway from the Kenyan […]

#Rwanda looks at electricity to power #SGR trains to #Kigali

EMISSION REDUCTIONS AND LOWER COST LEAD TO RWANDA AND #TANZANIA LOOKING AT ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES (Posted 12th March 2018) Information is coming out of Kigali that the Rwandan government is, together with their Tanzanian counterparts, reviewing a key element of their contract to construct a Standard Gauge Railway linking the port of Dar es Salaam via […]

Kenya Railways dodge question of SGR fare increase

MORE PR FAILURES AS KENYA RAILWAYS’S ATANAS MAINA DODGES QUESTION ABOUT 2018 FARES (Posted 06th November 2017) While Kenya’s tourism marketeers are getting into gear at the World Travel Market in London to promote the destination, the use of the new SGR passenger train service between Nairobi and Mombasa – stops in Mtito Andei and […]

Intercounty SGR passenger train launched today

SGR LAUNCHES LONG AWAITED SECOND TRAIN FROM #NAIROBI TO #MOMBASA (Posted 02nd November 2017) Starting today has Kenya Railways’ SGR operation launched a second daily train between Nairobi and Mombasa, connecting several counties along the way. The initial train service stopped over in Mtito Andei, the half way station enroute to Mombasa but the new, […]

The two faces of a #SGR train journey to #Mombasa

WHERE THERE IS LIGHT THERE ARE STILL SHADOWS (Posted 09th October 2017)   It took a few months since the launch of the so called Madaraka Express in June before opportunity came knocking to try out the new train and provide my readers with a narrative of my experience. The headline is already indicating that […]

Uganda and Kenya to jointly source finance for SGR construction

SGR EXTENSION TO KAMPALA A STEP CLOSER AS UGANDA AND KENYA AGREE ON JOINT FINANCE SOURCING (Posted 10th July 2017) The construction of the remaining section of the new Standard Gauge Railway, between the Kenyan Rift Valley, the border with Uganda and then on to Kampala, has come a step closer after the two partner […]

Kenya Railways responds to acid critique and addresses SGR train shortcomings

RECORD PASSENGER NUMBERS REPORTED BY KENYA RAILWAYS ON SGR PASSENGER TRAINS (Posted 07th June 2017) The first phase of the Standard Gauge Rail service, which was launched by President Kenyatta last Wednesday, is currently operating with scheduled passenger trains from Nairobi and Mombasa running on a daily basis. Kenya Railways Managing Director, Mr. Atanas Maina […]

Kenya Railways discloses fares on new SGR passenger services

FARES FOR NEW PASSENGER TRAINS FINALLY PUBLISHED (Posted 31st May 2017) Kenya Railways has now finally, on the very eve of the launch of passenger train services between Nairobi and Mombasa, released the tariffs to be charged, at least for the immediate future. President Uhuru Kenyatta will tomorrow, 01st of June – Madaraka Day in […]

Kenya government suggests cheap passenger fares for SGR trips

CHEAP TRAIN FARES TO LURE PASSENGERS FROM BUSSES AND AIRLINES (Posted 07th May 2017) Ahead of the formal launch of the new Standard Gauge Railway, in short known as SGR, between the Kenyan capital Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa on the 01st of June – coinciding with Madaraka Day when Kenya attained internal […]

Mombasa’s new SGR railway station nearing completion

NEW RAILWAY STATION FOR MOMBASA LOCATED IN MIRITINI (Posted 19th April 2017) The new passenger services by Kenya Railways will launch on or about the 01st of June after the new SGR, short for Standard Gauge Railway, has been officially launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta. Trial runs are presently underway to test the line in […]

Environment Tribunal halts SGR work on route through the Nairobi National Park

KENYA’S ENVIRONMENT TRIBUNAL STOPS SGR WORK (Posted 06th April 2017) Serious doubts over the conclusions drawn by the Environmental Impact Assessment for the second phase of the new Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya have now apparently led to the halt of any work until a thorough review of the EIA and other aspects related to […]

East Africa Wildlife Society exposes more dirty tricks by SGR promoters

SURVEY BEACONS FOR SGR PROJECT FOUND IN OLOOLUA FOREST (Posted 22nd March 2017) The East African Wild Life Society’s Executive Director Julius Kamau was yesterday raising concern that the impacts of the proposed Standard Gauge Railway to Naivasha is extending beyond the Nairobi National Park to other critical ecological systems. This came to light after […]

NEMA blamed for shoddy job over SGR Environmental Study

KENYA’S NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY CALLED A ‘GOVERNMENT STOOGE’ (Posted 07th January 2017) Kenya’s conservation fraternity is trying to come to terms with what has been described as NEMA’s worst decision yet, when the organization bent over and gave the thumbs up for the Kenyan government’s plan to cut the Nairobi National Park in half. […]

Important Stakeholders Workshops Invitations Including SGR Phase 2

Stakeholders workshops Invitations Ecotourism Kenya wishes to, on behalf of the ministry of Tourism and NEMA, share below information to the public for your participation. Stakeholders workshops Invitations- Ministry of Tourism The ministry of tourism is in process of developing a national tourism blueprint that will guide the development and movement of Kenya’s tourism sector […]

Environmentalists prevail to have work on second stretch of Kenya’s new SGR halted

CHINESE CONTRACTOR STOPPED FROM PROCEEDING WITH ROUTE THROUGH NATIONAL PARK (Posted 16th August 2016) Kenya’s conservation fraternity, at least for now, can be proud to have stopped the Chinese construction company selected to build the second stretch of the new Standard Gauge Railway, in short SGR, which will run from Nairobi to the Rift Valley […]

Kenyan SGR rail project ahead of schedule

PACE OF RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION BRINGS FORWARD OPERATIONAL DATE TO MID 2017 (Posted 14th September 2015) Going by the rapid advance of the construction of Kenya’s new Standard Gauge Railway, which will connect the port of Mombasa with Nairobi and eventually on to Uganda, have operation dates been revised to mid 2017, almost a year ahead […]

Groundbreaking for new Ugandan SGR line expected in June

UGANDA SET FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION (Posted 23rd May 2015) After the Ugandan parliament approved a 13 trillion Uganda Shillings loan, sourced from the Chinese government, will work on the new Standard Gauge Railway commence next month. The Minister for Works Hon. John Byabagambi at the same time also confirmed […]

Uganda secures 3.2 billion US Dollars for SGR rail project

CHINA SIGNS FINANCING DEAL WITH UGANDA FOR MULTI BILLION RAILWAY PROJECT (Posted 06th April 2015) The Ugandan portion of the new Standard Gauge Railway project between Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan has now secured some 3.2 billion US Dollars in funding which will be provided by the Chinese government. While the Kenyan portion is […]

Africa Weekly Aviation Trails: Week 15, 2024 Highlights

  (Posted 17th April 2024)   Courtesy of Aero Trail Ltd and Mr. Alex Koech   The past week was a rollercoaster ride for African aviation! While Ethiopian Airlines celebrated a momentous achievement, Air Peace found itself navigating hazy new skies. From allegations of sabotage to exciting fleet additions and new route announcements, there’s plenty […]

Africa Weekly Aviation Trails: Week 14, 2024 Highlights

  (Posted 09th April 2024)   Courtesy of Aero Trail Ltd and Alex Koech   Exciting developments emerged in week 14, with projections indicating that passenger traffic by African carriers is set to soar to 98 million for the year 2024. Additionally, South Sudan is poised to achieve a significant milestone as it prepares to […]