During a recent visit to Nyanza, which is regarded as ODM Leader Raila Odinga’s political pad, President William Ruto promised to expand the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to Kisumu County.
Jared Okello, a Nyando MP, made this information public by saying that the agreement is effectively finalized.
Okello claimed in an interview that the President had promised to seek Ksh4 billion for the project.
Okello quotes Ruto as saying that the extension will help the Kisumu Port, which Uhuru Kenyatta rehabilitated, operate more efficiently.
He mentioned that the Kwanza government of Kenya had plans to resurrect the regional rail system.
“On the subject of the port, the President actually told us that it was not advantageous as it was, given that the SGR ended in Naivasha and the commodities left for neighboring countries from Mombasa Port.”
He said he wanted to extend the SGR for Ksh4 billion so that some of the cargo could be delivered by rail, the man said.
He added that the President had been urged by the leaders to carry out some of the initiatives that Uhuru had started during his second term.
Okello claimed that a few of the President’s promises had begun to materialize days after he had left the lakeside region.
He brought funds for the completion of the military-built MV Uhuru II because “MV Uhuru I was already done,” he said.
The lawmaker also said that Ruto has already started corresponding with other nations who had showed interest in having their ships built in Kisumu.
