President William Ruto has announced plans to extend Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Voi through Taita Taveta to Tanzania, in a move aimed at strengthening cross-border trade and passenger transport.
Speaking during a church service in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County, on Sunday, September 27, 2026, Ruto said the government had set aside about KSh5 billion for the proposed railway extension.
“As we extend that, it is also important to link Voi and Tanzania. We’ve already set aside around KSh5 billion for that project,” Ruto said.
According to the President, the proposed railway will pass through several parts of Taita Taveta, with stations planned in Mwatate, Bura, Mwakitau and Taveta before the line extends into Tanzania.
Ruto said the railway would facilitate the movement of both passengers and cargo, potentially creating new opportunities for businesses and traders in the region.
The announcement comes as Kenya continues with plans to extend the existing SGR network from Naivasha through Kisumu to Malaba, creating a railway connection towards Uganda.
The proposed Voi-Tanzania SGR link would add another cross-border railway corridor as Kenya seeks to strengthen transport and trade links within the East African Community.
However, the new proposal is separate from the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta metre-gauge railway, whose rehabilitation was launched earlier this year with a KSh5.5 billion investment. That older railway line is also intended to reconnect Kenya with northern Tanzania.
Ruto also announced plans to issue title deeds to residents of Taita Taveta and promised additional development projects in the county.
The proposed SGR extension is now likely to draw attention over its financing, implementation timeline and the details of the planned connection into Tanzania.
