Kisumu Safari Train Set to Resume as Kenya Railways Nears Completion of Kijabe Line Restoration

Kenya Railways has announced major progress in restoring the Uplands–Kijabe–Longonot Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) line, which was severely damaged by flash floods in April 2024 that swept through Mai Mahiu in Nakuru County

According to the corporation, rehabilitation works are now over 70 percent complete, with full restoration expected by December 2025. The floods had washed away sections of the line, disrupting both passenger and freight services along the route

Once complete, the project will enable the resumption of the Kisumu Safari Train, reconnecting Central and Western Kenya by rail and revitalizing a key transport corridor for both travelers and goods

Kenya Railways noted that freight operations will also resume, improving cargo movement to western Kenya and neighboring countries including Uganda and South Sudan, strengthening Kenya’s position as a regional trade gateway

Ongoing works include the construction of multiple culverts, stabilization of embankments, and drainage reconstruction to make the line more resilient against future extreme weather

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“This restoration underscores the Corporation’s strategic commitment to revitalize and sustain Kenya’s Meter Gauge Railway network as a dependable and complementary mode of transport within the national and regional rail ecosystem,” Kenya Railways said in a statement

The April 2024 tragedy, which claimed 51 lives in Mai Mahiu, was attributed to the bursting of a water body formed after a blockage in a culvert beneath the railway line

Once operations resume, the Kisumu Safari Train is expected to boost regional tourism and trade, marking a significant milestone in Kenya’s railway revival efforts

Writer : Mweru Mbugua