Kenya pushes joint rail strategy to lower logistics costs, enhance EA trade
The expansion is expected to improve inland transport capacity and support cross-border trade routes.
TANZANIA – At the Tanzania-Kenya Business Forum 2026 in Dar es Salaam, Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga called for the adoption of a harmonized regional railway master plan to improve trade flows, reduce logistics costs, and advance economic integration across East Africa.
He positioned Kenya Railways as a key participant in efforts to build cross-border rail connectivity that supports private sector activity and investment.
Why Harmonized Rail Standards Matter for Trade
Mainga said coordinated railway systems across countries would address current inefficiencies in cargo movement and support regional trade expansion. “We need to implement the joint railway master plan with standardized specifications that allow our trains to move across borders without barriers,” said Mainga.
“This is how we break trade bottlenecks, decongest our roads and ports, and lower the cost of doing business across East Africa.”
Standardized specifications mean trains can travel from Mombasa to Dar es Salaam without stopping for cargo transfers, preserving cold chain integrity and cutting transit times.
Current and Planned Rail Expansion
Kenya has developed the Standard Gauge Railway corridor from Mombasa to Naivasha, with plans to extend the line to Kisumu and Malaba to improve links with neighbouring markets. The expansion is expected to improve inland transport capacity and support cross-border trade routes.
Mainga also pointed to efforts to link Kenya and Tanzania through rail infrastructure, including the rehabilitation of the Voi–Taveta railway line. He said this corridor would serve as a key connection point between the two countries and support the movement of goods across borders.
Connecting Industrial Zones and Ports
Mainga added that connecting railway infrastructure with special economic zones and industrial centres would support value chains and improve the movement of goods within the region.
Logistics Outlook
Participants at the forum said that as trade volumes increase across East Africa, integrated railway networks will be central to improving competitiveness and enabling the movement of goods and people across borders.
For food logistics investors, harmonized rail corridors offer lower per-tonne transport costs for bulk agricultural commodities, reduced road congestion at border posts, and more predictable scheduling for perishable exports.
Coordinated infrastructure policy and regulatory alignment are essential to increasing trade competitiveness across the continent and to transforming East Africa’s rail network from a collection of national lines into an integrated logistics backbone.
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