Ruto Names Four Taita-Taveta Towns for Proposed SGR Stations to Tanzania

President William Ruto has announced plans to establish four railway stations in Taita-Taveta as Kenya considers a new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) link from Voi to Tanzania.

The proposed stations would be located in Mwatate, Bura, Mwakitau and Taveta, creating a new rail corridor through the county before the line crosses into Tanzania.

Ruto said the government had set aside about KSh5 billion for the proposed SGR extension, which he said would support the movement of passengers and cargo and make cross-border trade easier.

The President made the announcement while addressing residents in Mwatate on Thursday, October 1.

“Recently I stood here, and you told me you want business between you and Tanzanians to run smoothly,” Ruto said, recalling calls from residents for improved transport links.

He said the proposed railway would include stations that would allow traders to move goods closer to their markets.

“I want to assure you that in the construction of the railway, to make it easy for the transportation of people and goods, we will build a station here in Mwatate and also in Bura. We will build a station in Mwakitau too,” he said.

The President also named Taveta as part of the planned route before the railway crosses into Tanzania.

Two railway projects, one corridor

The announcement comes as another railway project is already taking shape in the same area.

In April, the government launched the KSh5.5 billion rehabilitation of the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta Metre Gauge Railway (MGR), a line that had been out of service for almost two decades.

The 129.6-kilometre line runs from Voi through Mwatate, Bura and Maktau to Taveta, where it connects with the border corridor towards Tanzania.

The Ministry of Roads and Transport says the rehabilitation includes work on the track, drainage, station buildings and other railway facilities. A trans-shipment facility is also planned in Voi to link the metre-gauge line with the existing SGR network.

The government has described the MGR project as a way of restoring an old trade route linking Mombasa, Voi, Taveta and northern Tanzania.

Kenya Railways reported in July that 70 per cent of the earthworks on the 130-kilometre Voi-Taveta line had been completed.

President Ruto launched the rehabilitation on April 10, saying it would help position Voi as a logistics hub connecting the Port of Mombasa with the Taveta-Holili border crossing.

The MGR and the newly announced SGR proposal are therefore separate projects.

The MGR is a rehabilitation of an existing railway corridor. The SGR plan would involve extending the modern standard-gauge network from Voi towards Tanzania.

What the new SGR could change

If implemented, the proposed SGR extension would give traders in Taita-Taveta another rail option for moving goods and passengers.

The county sits along an important Kenya-Tanzania trading route, with Taveta serving as a major border crossing.

Earlier this year, a joint review of the Taveta-Holili One Stop Border Post found that the crossing had room to handle more trade. Kenyan officials said about 300 trucks were entering Kenya from Tanzania daily, with most arriving empty, while around 90 trucks were leaving Kenya carrying exports.

That trade imbalance has highlighted the potential for stronger transport and logistics links along the corridor.

The government has also identified agricultural produce, minerals and other cargo as potential beneficiaries of improved rail connectivity in Taita-Taveta.

Tanzania connection still needs clarity

Ruto's announcement outlines Kenya's side of the proposed SGR extension, but important details remain to be established, including the project's construction timeline, financing arrangements, technical design and how the line would connect with Tanzania's railway network.

This is particularly important because the existing Voi-Taveta metre-gauge railway already provides a route towards northern Tanzania.

Kenya and Tanzania have previously discussed restoring railway connectivity through the Taveta-Holili corridor. During Ruto's state visit to Tanzania in May, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to reviving the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta railway.

For Taita-Taveta residents, the immediate change is therefore the ongoing rehabilitation of the old metre-gauge line. The SGR extension is a separate proposal whose implementation details are yet to be fully set out.

If both projects proceed, Voi and Taita-Taveta could eventually become an important rail interchange between Kenya's SGR network, the rehabilitated metre-gauge line and the cross-border trade route into Tanzania.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.