President William Ruto Commisions construction of the 12.5 km Riruta-Ngong Commuter Rail line

Ngong, 

Friday, 15 December, 2023 

McCreadie Andias 

President William Ruto has commissioned construction works for the extension of the Riruta- Ngong metre gauge railway line on Friday afternoon. 

The completion of the project is estimated to facilitate the transportation of over 10,000 Kenyans per day. 

The 12.5 Kilometre Commuter Rail line will run through Rīruta, Karen, Bulbul and Ngong’ stations.

President Ruto noted that efficient transport and infrastructural connectivity moves the economy foward 

"The expansion of the Nairobi Commuter Railway Services will present Kenyans with an accessible, affordable and reliable way to get to work, generating convenience and connecting people to services and economic opportunities." President William said in a statement. 

The President said that Kenyans on the Riruta- Karen-Bulbul-Ngong line route will save up to 50 per cent of their transport budget, money that can go to other needs.

The project will also create skilled and unskilled, direct and indirect employment opportunities for the youth. 

Upon the completion of the Riruta-Ngong sections,the rain is expected to extend to Kiserian and back to Nairobi through Ongata Rongai.

The line is part of the implementation of the Nairobi Masterplan which is set to transform transport in the Nairobi Metropolitan area.

The extension of this line into Kajiado, one of Nairobi’s bedrooms, comes after the rehabilitation of the Thika-Nanyuki, Longonot-Malaba and Nakuru-Kisumu metre gauge lines which have greatly enhanced the movement of people and goods.

According to transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen, the amount of cargo moved by rail has increased from 4.8 million tonnes since the inception of the Kenya Kwanza Government and has gone up to 7.8 million.

CS Murkomen says that by the end of 2024 the government anticipates to raise the target to hit over 8.1 million tonnes transport by rail. 

The Standard Gauge Railway has been linked with the Metre Gauge Railway in Naivasha, ensuring seamless movement of wagons to and from Uganda with the CS acknowledging an unprecedented achievement that has also seen goods taken directly from Mombasa to Mwanza, Tanzania. 

Dagoretti South Member of Parliament John Kiarie who graced the event acknowledged the move that will see decongesting of the Nairobi Ngong road. 

"Dagoretti South stands to gain greatly from this Commuter train solution that will aid in decongesting Ngong Road and other adjoining roads" KJ said. 

Other leaders in the event including Deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, Transport PS Mohamed Daghar, Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, MPs George Kariuki (Ndia), Onesmus Ngogoyo (Kajiado North), George Sunkuyia (Kajiado West), Parashina Sakimba (Loitokitok) and Phelix Odiwuor Jalang’o (Langata) among others.