Kenya and Uganda have reached an agreement to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from the Kenyan border town of Malaba to the Ugandan capital Kampala, and eventually to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a joint press conference during Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s state visit to Kenya on Thursday, the two East African leaders unveiled a raft of agreements aimed at deepening bilateral ties and promoting regional integration.
President William Ruto announced that the two nations have agreed to synergize efforts to mobilize resources for implementing the regional shared infrastructure project of extending the SGR.
“The meeting emphasized the importance of extending the SGR from Nairobi to Malaba, but all the way to Kampala and DRC as an efficient and sustainable infrastructural artery for the transformation of goods,” he said.
The ministers have been instructed to take urgent measures and report progress by year-end.
The SGR extension is expected to significantly boost trade flows and enhance integration by providing a cost-effective and reliable transportation mode for goods and passengers.
Beyond infrastructure, the two presidents reached agreements on multiple fronts. On trade, President Ruto stated: “We have agreed that the common principle will be the full implementation of the EAC customs union and other infrastructure supporting trade between East African countries.” All outstanding bilateral trade issues involving rice, furniture, eggs, chicken, sugar and other goods have been resolved to ensure smooth cross-border movement.
The leaders pledged joint efforts on environmental conservation, including restoration of degraded wetlands, fragile ecosystems and water towers. Kenya’s drive to plant 15 billion trees will be synergized with Uganda’s environmental programs, recognizing that climate change transcends borders.
Security and stability in the greater East African region also featured prominently. “We hold a common position on what should happen in Eastern DRC, South Sudan, Somalia and our region in general,” President Ruto said. Concerns were expressed over the proposed drawdown of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), urging timelines aligned to ground realities rather than a predetermined calendar.
President Museveni framed the raft of agreements as implementing the “historical missions” – promoting prosperity through wealth creation, ensuring strategic security, and harnessing integration’s power – that Africans prioritized over 60 years ago after gaining independence.
“If you had formed the East African Federation in 1963, many of the problems would have been avoided,” Museveni argued, citing issues like the conflict in Uganda and the Rwandan genocide. “East Africa would be a center of gravity.”
