Museveni Becomes First Visiting Head of State to Ride on Kenya's SGR

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has made history as the first visiting Head of State to ride on Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train.

Museveni arrived in Nairobi on Thursday evening after a four-hour journey from the coastal city of Mombasa.

He took the 480-kilometer ride on the last day of his two-day State visit to Kenya that began on Wednesday.

He was received in Nairobi by President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto shortly after 8 pm.

Accompanying Museveni during the SGR trip were Cabinet Secretaries Monica Juma (Foreign Affairs) and James Macharia (Transport).

"It was a comfortable four-hour ride. The SGR is key in cutting down transport costs, reducing pilferage and ensuring goods arrive faster to the hinterland. It will greatly reduce business costs," Museveni said.

Kenyatta and Museveni held discussions on strengthening trade ties between the two countries.

President Kenyatta has pledged to give Uganda land in Naivasha to build a dry port for its cargo.

Kenyatta says the port will ease the cost of ferrying goods between the two countries.

Kenyatta says the move is in line with the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to Kampala.

“I have confirmed to President Museveni that with that development in Naivasha and then moving the SGR to Malaba, goods will be able to move from Mombasa to Malaba in just two days,” President Kenyatta said.

“But more importantly, it (SGR) will reduce the cost of transport for Ugandan investors and Uganda itself. It will improve the efficiency of Mombasa Port to the benefit of our people."