By Kenyans
President William Ruto has announced that the long-dormant Voi-Mwatate-Taveta railway line will be fully operational by April next year, setting a concrete deadline for a project that has been stuck in limbo for over two decades.
Speaking during a two-day state visit to Tanzania on Monday, May 4, 2026, Ruto confirmed that construction on the 127-kilometre meter-gauge line officially kicked off last month, following years of stalled plans.
“By April next year, we will have connected Voi-Mwatate-Taveta, and I have the confirmation of my sister that you will complete the line to Taveta from the Tanzanian side ahead of time,” stated President Ruto.
The railway was formally commissioned by Ruto at a ceremony held at the Voi Transhipment Hub on April 10 this year, marking the clearest indication of bringing the century-old corridor back to life.
Stretching 127 kilometres from Voi to Taveta at the Tanzanian border, the line is more than 100 years old, making its revival one of the most ambitious cross-border infrastructure undertakings Kenya has pursued in recent years.
The Voi junction anchors the entire plan, connecting the Standard Gauge Railway station at Kasarani, roughly 10 kilometres from the old town centre, to the older meter-gauge line through a logistics corridor Kenya Railways describes as seamless.
Ruto went a step further, requesting that the line eventually extend to Singida in Tanzania, a plan that will create a transport corridor running from Kenya’s SGR all the way to Burundi, linking several East African nations through a single rail route.
“I have requested that the road should also be connected to Singida so that we can find a transport corridor joining your SGR all the way to Burundi. That will unlock the full potential of the East African community connecting Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and beyond,” said President Ruto.
Beyond the railway, the two leaders finalised over 20 commercial agreements valued at USD500 million, roughly Ksh64.6 billion, spanning tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing, as both countries move to deepen economic ties and dismantle the non-tariff barriers that have long frustrated cross-border traders.
Energy cooperation also made the agenda, with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu and President Ruto agreeing to accelerate joint efforts aimed at reducing energy tariffs for industrial and commercial users, a move expected to meaningfully lower the cost of doing business across the region.
In terms of digital infrastructure, both leaders pledged to enhance ICT connectivity to support their fast-growing digital economies..
Additionally, agriculture and livestock trade received a direct boost, with signed agreements targeting smoother cross-border movement of farm produce and animals, a sector that touches the daily livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers on both sides of the border.
All these deals sit within a broader push for East African Community integration, reinforcing smooth movement of goods and services across the bloc free from any barriers.