Report by Sello Lentsoane

When the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) first rolled out from Mombasa to Nairobi, it marked more than just a new chapter in Kenya’s transport story. It signaled East Africa’s push toward modernization, economic integration, and long-term growth.

For Jamlick Mwangi Kariuki, a Kenyan engineer and current Master’s student in Highway and Railway Engineering at Beijing Jiaotong University, the SGR is both a professional milestone and a symbol of national progress. Between 2021 and 2023, he worked with Kenya Railways, where he was responsible for designing, constructing, inspecting, and supervising railway projects. 

His experience gave him a front-row seat to the challenges and triumphs of building one of the region’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.“The main objective of the SGR was to modernize transport between Mombasa and Nairobi,” Kariuki explained. “The old meter gauge railway was more than a century old and could no longer handle the increasing cargo volumes from the port of Mombasa, which serves not just Kenya but the entire East African region.”

The project was not without obstacles. Financing was a major challenge, eventually solved through joint funding by the Kenyan and Chinese governments. Equally pressing was the shortage of local expertise in railway engineering. Kariuki recalls how the solution lay in partnership and training. “The Kenyanization Program brought together China Road and Bridge Corporation, Kenya Railways, and Beijing Jiaotong University. It ensured Kenyans were trained both locally and in China to build capacity for managing the railway after construction. The Railway Training Institute in Nairobi was also upgraded to support long-term skills development,” he said.

Despite the high initial cost, Kariuki believes the SGR represents lasting value. “The railway employs the latest technology. It is modern, safe, and efficient. It may have been expensive to build, but its value lies in the long-term service it will provide for both cargo and passenger transport,” he noted.

The project is also part of China’s broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to connect countries through transport and trade infrastructure. Kariuki points out that its impact is already visible. “The BRI has improved transport in participating countries, created jobs, and provided opportunities for young people to study and work. The SGR is one of the most visible examples of its benefits in East Africa,” he said.

For him, the railway is more than just steel and concrete - it is an engine for development. “Good infrastructure is the baseline for growth. With an efficient rail network, the movement of goods and people across East Africa becomes easier, businesses expand, and opportunities for employment and increased income emerge. Over time, living standards improve,” Kariuki emphasised.

As trains continue to cut through the savannah between Mombasa and Nairobi, the SGR stands as both a technological achievement and a promise of the future. It is not only connecting two Kenyan cities but also helping to shape the destiny of an entire region.