[PHOTOS] Uhuru commissions the Nakuru-Kisumu Railway

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday commissioned the   Nakuru-Kisumu meter Gauge Railway, the Longonot-Malaba segment as well as the refurbished Nakuru Railway Station.

The revitalised Nakuru -Kisumu Railway stretches up to 217km long, while the Longonot-Malaba stretches up to 465km long.

The rehabilitation of the Longonot–Malaba MGR section and Nakuru-Kisumu MGR branch line,  will expand trade across East Africa and is estimated to significantly reduce transport and logistics costs.

The Nakuru to Kisumu train will link the Rift Valley and Western Kenya regions with Uganda.

This means cargo will be moved from Mombasa to Kisumu and Malaba via rail.

The iconic Nakuru Railway Station is a key transit station for cargo and passenger train services to and from Western Kenya.

Its the assembly hub for farm produce from the agriculturally rich Central Rift region for onward freight to the Coast for export.

The link to the Kisumu Port will boost the revival of Lake Victoria water transport, connecting Kenya to ports of Uganda and Tanzania, boosting regional trade.

This initiative will facilitate efficient transport of goods in the country while at the same time improving the ease of doing business.