By Anderson Ojwang
The economic potential of Western Kenya has, for aeons, been undermined by poor infrastructural development and a lack of investment in road and rail transport.
This has prevented the vibrant Western Kenya economy from expanding into other regions such as Nairobi, Central, Eastern, and Coast, as well as globally.
While some regions have enjoyed better and dual road transport networks, along with reliable rail services for decades, Western Kenya has remained isolated in terms of rail and road investment and development by successive regimes.
That is why the recent resolution by the Cabinet to dual the Rironi-Mau Summit road and extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Bomet, Kisumu, and Malaba is an economic game-changer for the region.
The 475-kilometre extension project is expected to be transformative for the agricultural, tourism, and transport sectors in the region.
The government has earmarked the construction of Phases 2B and 2C of the railway, which is set to commence in 2025, with an estimated cost of Sh 648 billion.
Kenya Railways Corporation has already engaged a technical team to conduct an environmental and social impact study ahead of the SGR extension to Kisumu.
In the words of Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, the decision by successive regimes not to develop and invest in rail and road transport in Western Kenya was akin to economic sabotage.
“Today, Your Excellency, I was speaking to one of my friends who is from Bungoma. He is returning to Nairobi and has to drive from Bungoma through Kakamega to Kisumu via Narok because the Nairobi-Nakuru highway is impassable.
Yet we borrowed money to build roads up to some villages. Some people take minutes to reach their homes, but an important road like the Nairobi-Nakuru highway was never made into a dual carriageway, so we also could reach our homes in good time.
Which was of more economic value? The SGR, for which we borrowed money, was a great idea, but did it have to terminate at Naivasha?
That railway should reach Malaba as originally intended. We must stabilise this economy and ensure that what should have been done gets done.
Mistakes were made, but they cannot be corrected in a day. Your Excellency, as I committed when I was sworn in, I will help you steady this economy. We will work hand in hand to improve the lives of Kenyans. Let other regions also benefit from the fruits of their taxes,” he said.
Nandi Senator Kiprotich Arap Cherargei wrote on his X handle, formerly Twitter: “The marginalisation of Western Kenya has finally come to an end with the beginning of the dualling of the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
The traffic gridlock will soon be a thing of the past, with no more fuel and time wasted during such times, thanks to President Ruto’s administration. We need an equitable country in terms of development and representation.”
“This road development is expected to ease transport and travel from Nairobi through Nakuru to Western Kenya, a route that has long suffered from serious traffic congestion on weekends and during national holidays,” a recent Cabinet dispatch stated.
The 170-kilometre project will take 24 months to complete. Initially, the dualling of the road was delayed after President William Ruto cancelled a tender awarded to a consortium of French firms last year ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“The project will upgrade the road from a two-way single carriageway to a four-lane dual carriageway, significantly improving traffic flow. This road development is expected to ease transport and travel from Nairobi through Nakuru to Western Kenya, a route that has long suffered from serious traffic congestion on weekends and during national holidays,” the Cabinet dispatch read.
The Rironi-Mau Summit road is part of the Northern Corridor trade route, which runs from Mombasa to the East and Central African hinterlands.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika wrote on her Facebook page: “I am excited and gratified, at the same time, that the Cabinet has finally approved the dualling of the Rironi-Mau Summit Road.
I thank President William Ruto for this decision and for setting the commencement and completion dates for this key transport artery—not only for Nakuru County but also as a gateway to Western Kenya and the North Rift.
In addition to easing traffic jams along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway, the dualling of the Rironi-Mau Summit Road will spur the growth of Nakuru City and attract investors to the county. Without a doubt, this is a significant and much-welcome development for us in Nakuru County at this early point in the year.”
Kisumu Senator Prof. Tom Ojienda wrote on his X handle: “For far too long, our people have not had access to the full benefits of modern railway infrastructure, which is essential not only for lowering transport costs but also for boosting regional integration.
It is for this reason that I sought a statement on the status of the SGR extension to Kisumu. This project is of immense strategic importance to the region, with a promise to enhance trade, tourism, and economic growth for Kisumu and the greater Western Kenya region.”
Political analyst Mike Agwanda said that the two investments in road and rail transport would open Western Kenya to new economic dynamics and spur economic growth.
“We will witness an economic boom in the region, and this will finally open up the area to new economic opportunities. This is a game-changer and a move in the right direction,” he said.
