Former journalist Gordon Opiyo has lauded President William Ruto’s leadership in securing a major extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to Kisumu and Malaba, describing the achievement as a triumph of strategy, humility and focus.
The launch event on Saturday, 21 March 2026, attended by President Ruto and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni, marked the start of construction on the Kisumu–Malaba section and injected fresh momentum into Kenya’s transport infrastructure agenda.
In a statement to media, Opiyo contrasted the current pace of progress with the stagnation of previous administrations, particularly under former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“President Uhuru could not simply convince anyone to touch the extension of the rail,” Opiyo said.
“Either through his legendary incompetence or tribal hatred for the Luos, Uhuru simply did not care.” He argued that earlier efforts failed to attract sustained investor interest and stalled over technical, political and financial hurdles.
Opiyo credited Ruto’s ability to build regional cooperation as the decisive factor that unlocked momentum for the project.
“How did Ruto do this? Cooperation,” he said. “Ruto brought in Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda to the negotiation table. This single action made the once untouchable project instantly turn into a super‑lucrative venture.”
The former journalist pointed to parallel commitments from neighbouring capitals as critical to commercial viability. Uganda is advancing construction on its side of the link, while South Sudan and Rwanda have signalled readiness to begin their respective segments.
That continental perspective, Opiyo argued, transformed the extension from a domestic transport upgrade into a regional freight corridor with cross‑border appeal.
A key element of the renewed interest, according to Opiyo, is the potential to serve oil exports from Uganda and South Sudan.
“The massive oil resources in Uganda and South Sudan will now have alternative transportation mode, even before the pipelines are built,” he said. “The Ugandan and South Sudan oil provided the justification for return cargo, something that previous investors never saw.”
Opiyo’s remarks highlight the strategic shift from viewing the SGR purely as a national project to positioning it as an East African trade link.
He predicted that the benefits will extend beyond infrastructure investment to tangible gains for communities in Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western Kenya, where reduced freight costs could spur economic activity and ease movement of goods.
“In less than three years, a focused President changed the region,” he said. “And as Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda celebrate, Kenyans in Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western will be reaping the benefits. Thanks to a sharp, visionary and focused President.”
President Ruto’s office has signalled that the project is a cornerstone of Kenya’s economic transformation agenda, with officials emphasising job creation, reduced transport costs and enhanced regional competitiveness.
The Government intends to sustain engagement with partner states to ensure alignment on technical, financial and regulatory fronts as construction advances.