Kenya has announced plans to extend its Standard Gauge Railway from Voi through Taita Taveta and onward into Tanzania, adding another cross-border corridor to the country’s expanding regional rail strategy.
President William Ruto said nearly KSh5 billion has been allocated for the proposed Voi–Taveta connection, which is expected to include stations in Mwatate, Bura, Mwakitau and Taveta before reaching the Tanzanian border.
The announcement comes as construction progresses on the much larger Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba SGR extension, reinforcing Kenya’s broader ambition to connect its rail network more deeply with Tanzania, Uganda and other East African markets.
Key Overview
- Kenya plans to extend the SGR from Voi through Taveta into Tanzania.
- Nearly KSh5 billion has been allocated for the proposed project.
- Planned stations include Mwatate, Bura, Mwakitau and Taveta.
- The new corridor is intended to carry both passengers and freight.
- Construction is already underway on the separate Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba SGR extension.
- The Naivasha–Kisumu line spans about 264 kilometres, while Kisumu–Malaba adds another 107 kilometres.
- Kenya’s wider SGR strategy is aimed at improving regional trade links with Tanzania, Uganda and other East African economies.
Kenya Plans New Cross-Border Rail Link
Kenya is preparing to expand its Standard Gauge Railway network southwards with a proposed route linking Voi to Taveta and eventually Tanzania.
President William Ruto announced the plan during a September 27 visit to Mwatate, saying the government had set aside nearly KSh5 billion for the project.
The planned line would branch from Voi, one of the key towns along the existing Mombasa–Nairobi transport corridor, before crossing Taita Taveta County toward the Tanzanian frontier.
Proposed SGR stations will be located at Mwatate, Bura, Mwakitau and Taveta, creating new passenger and freight connections for communities along the corridor.
The extension is intended to support the movement of goods and people between Kenya and Tanzania while strengthening economic activity within Taita Taveta.
Project Builds on Wider East African SGR Strategy
The Voi–Tanzania proposal forms part of a much larger effort to expand Kenya’s standard-gauge network beyond its current terminus at Naivasha.
Earlier in 2026, Kenya formally launched construction of the Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba SGR corridor, designed to connect the existing line with western Kenya and eventually Uganda.
The Naivasha–Kisumu main line will cover approximately 264 kilometres, with an additional 8.69-kilometre branch connecting to a proposed new Kisumu port.
A further 107-kilometre Kisumu–Malaba section is expected to take the railway to Kenya’s border with Uganda.
Actual construction works on the Naivasha–Kisumu section began in July 2026, following the project’s official launch earlier in the year.
The broader corridor is designed to improve access between Mombasa Port, western Kenya and neighbouring landlocked economies.
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Tanzania Link Could Strengthen Regional Trade
A railway connection through Taveta could provide another strategic route between Kenya and Tanzania.
The corridor sits close to major agricultural, tourism and cross-border trading zones and could improve movement between the Kenyan coast and northern Tanzania.
A functional freight railway could reduce pressure on roads, lower transport costs for some bulk cargo and improve links between inland production centres and regional ports.
The proposed route would also complement Kenya’s existing SGR connections from Mombasa through Nairobi and Naivasha, creating another direction for future network expansion.
The government has said the wider objective is to improve rail connectivity across East Africa, including stronger transport links with Tanzania and Uganda.
Voi Corridor Already Receiving Rail Investment
The latest announcement comes as the government is also reviving older railway infrastructure in the same region.
Earlier in 2026, Kenya launched rehabilitation of the existing Voi–Mwatate–Taveta metre-gauge railway, which historically provided a rail connection toward northern Tanzania.
That rehabilitation programme was announced separately from the new SGR proposal and carries its own investment allocation.
The distinction is important because the planned Standard Gauge Railway would represent a newer, higher-capacity rail corridor rather than simply rehabilitation of the older metre-gauge network.
The government’s new announcement therefore points toward a longer-term strategy in which the Voi–Taveta corridor could support both local connectivity and cross-border freight.
Western SGR Expansion Already Under Construction
Kenya’s rail expansion is also accelerating in the west.
The Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba project has been estimated at approximately KSh700 billion, with construction contracts awarded for the route toward the Uganda border.
The Kisumu–Malaba section was jointly launched by the Kenyan and Ugandan governments in March 2026 as part of efforts to deepen regional trade connectivity.
Extending the network toward Uganda and Tanzania would give Kenya two major cross-border SGR directions, potentially strengthening the role of the Port of Mombasa as a transport gateway for East and Central Africa.
However, the eventual economic impact of the Tanzania extension will depend on detailed engineering designs, financing, construction timelines and coordination between the two countries’ rail networks.
For now, the KSh5 billion allocation and planned stations provide the clearest indication yet that the Voi–Taveta corridor is becoming part of Kenya’s wider standard-gauge railway expansion strategy.
Sources: Ministry of Roads and Transport Kenya / Kenya Railways / People Daily / Citizen Digital / The Standard / Nairobi Leo / Government Advertising Agency
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