French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Nairobi has led to the signing of multi-billion-shilling agreements between Kenya and France, with government officials linking the outcome to major transport infrastructure upgrades.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the engagements began immediately after Macron’s arrival, with bilateral meetings held at State House focusing on development cooperation and infrastructure financing.
“Tonight, the moment President Macron landed, we went straight to State House and had bilateral engagements with France,” Mudavadi said during an interview on Citizen TV on Sunday night.
He confirmed that Kenya and France signed 11 agreements covering priority sectors, with the total value of programmes and commitments exceeding $1 billion.
“We have signed 11 instruments, all critical, and in total, it comes to over 1 billion USD worth of programs and commitments,” he said.
A significant portion of the agreements is directed at the modernization of Nairobi’s commuter rail system, which the government is positioning as a key solution to the capital’s transport challenges.
Mudavadi said the plan includes expansion of commuter rail Line 5 to improve connectivity within the Nairobi metropolitan area.
“We are signing off so that we can modernize our commuter rail system, especially Line 5, expanding it so that it can go to Embakasi and into Ruiru,” he said.
He added that the government is also collaborating with the United Kingdom on the broader Nairobi Railway City project, which aims to transform the central transport hub into a modern integrated system.
The planned upgrades also include an extension toward Thika, which officials say will significantly increase passenger capacity and reduce congestion in the city.
“Once this program is complete, with the line going up to Thika, we should be able to evacuate up to 30,000 people per hour,” Mudavadi said.
The announcements come as Kenya hosts the Africa Forward Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre and the University of Nairobi, bringing together Heads of State, financiers and development partners.
President William Ruto has framed the summit as a platform to attract investment into infrastructure and economic transformation.
The rail expansion plan is expected to ease pressure on road transport in Nairobi, where rapid urban growth continues to strain mobility and public transport systems.