Kenya’s Rail Network Gets U$500M Boost From World Bank

A total of U$500million has been approved by the World Bank to improve the commuter railway network in Kenya, Topafricanews reports.

According to Kenya government, the improvement of the Country’s railway network includes; upgrades to stations, the purchase of rail carriages and other infrastructure investments in the capital Nairobi.

All these improvements have been estimated to cost a total of U$1.7 billion.

According to the World Bank, “the project aims to transform the Nairobi metropolitan area mobility landscape by upgrading the commuter rail into a modern urban rail system, reforming the institutional framework for urban transport, and supporting integrated land-use planning around stations.”

Project funding details indicate that the World Bank will support feasibility studies and preliminary design work for Kenya’s commuter railway system “including electrification readiness,” and will provide technical assistance for carbon financing opportunities, it said.

Policy support under the program includes the “establishment of urban mobility funding mechanisms including potential securitization of the Railway Development Levy,” according to the World Bank note.