Kijabe Rail Revival Signals Return of Western and Nyanza Rail Link After Months of Repairs
Posted by EDITORIAL
Kenya Railways completes successful test run on the Kijabe section of the Metre Gauge Railway, marking a major step toward resuming rail services linking Nyanza, Western Kenya, and Uganda after months of rehabilitation.
Also Read: Kenya Uganda and South Sudan fast track unified rail
Kiambu Kenya
In Summary
- Kenya Railways has completed successful test runs on the rehabilitated Kijabe section of the Metre Gauge Railway, paving the way for full service resumption.
- The restoration reconnects Western and Nyanza regions to the national rail network and strengthens trade links with Uganda and the wider Great Lakes region.
- Repairs followed extensive damage caused by heavy rains in April–May 2024, with recovery works spanning several months.
Also Read: MOESNA Rallies Investor to Consider Investment in the Maritime
Also Read: Flydubai Expands Kenyan Footprint
Kenya Railways is set to reopen a critical section of the Metre Gauge Railway following the successful completion of test runs between Uplands and Kijabe stations, a development that signals renewed rail connectivity for Western and Nyanza regions and cross-border trade with Uganda.
The official reopening at Kijabe Station will be officiated by Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga, accompanied by members of the corporation’s management team. The event marks the culmination of months of intensive rehabilitation works on a corridor that had been rendered unusable by extreme weather conditions.
Read: Kenyans are Excited of the Jetour T2
The rail section was shut down in April and May 2024 after unusually heavy rainfall triggered washaways and ground instability around Kijabe, cutting off a vital transport artery. The disruption stalled the movement of cargo including agricultural inputs, farm produce, steel products, and containerized goods destined for inland Kenya and neighbouring countries.
Rehabilitation works commenced shortly after the damage assessment, with engineers focusing on track restoration, drainage improvement, and slope stabilization. By late 2025, structural repairs were completed, allowing Kenya Railways to conduct controlled test runs to confirm safety and operational readiness. Protection works and river training activities are continuing alongside preparations for full service resumption.
Speaking during the trial phase, Mainga noted that the reopening goes beyond restoring a railway line, describing it as a strategic reconnection of regional economies. He indicated that the successful tests demonstrate Kenya Railways’ determination to rebuild resilient infrastructure that supports trade, mobility, and regional integration.
Once operations resume, the line is expected to ease logistics for traders in Western Kenya and Nyanza while strengthening freight links to Uganda and onward to South Sudan, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The revival of the Kijabe section reinforces the Metre Gauge Railway’s role as a backbone of affordable and reliable transport, even as Kenya continues to invest in modern rail systems.
With the final checks underway, the reopening of the Kijabe rail section stands as a clear signal that rail services linking the country’s western corridor to the rest of Kenya—and the region—are firmly back on track.
READ MORE NEWS MAKING HEADLINES
Photo Credits: Elijah Odanga
