According to Kenya Railways, the first phase of The Nairobi Railway City’s construction work has already begun. Phillip Mainga, managing director of Kenya Railways, said that the underway works include establishing a footbridge across the Nairobi Railway Yard, a new Nairobi Central Railway station, and a public square.
In addition, the railway station and public park site will be hoarded and secured. The Nairobi Railway yard will also undergo a thorough drainage overhaul, a new structural steel locomotive shed will be constructed (the CXR Sick shed) at Makadara Yard, and the old shed will be relocated at Nairobi Yard. Finally, the driveway and car park at Kenya Railways Headquarters will be paved.
The modern, all-weather pedestrian footbridge that traverses the Nairobi Railway yard will be convenient for those who have disabilities, he continued. In order to prevent any incidents, he also recommended that rail commuters and pedestrians use the designated pathways as they enter and exit Nairobi Central Station.
The completion of the Nairobi Railway City project, which is being implemented in phases, is scheduled for 2030. The initiative is funded by both the Kenyan and British governments.
In October 2019 the Government of Kenya announced plans for the construction of a US $270m mega city. Draft plans for the “Railway City” that will see the expansion of Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) have already been released thus paving way for project implementation.
The Nairobi Railway city masterplan
Dubbed the Railway City Masterplan, the 425-acre project is expected to be completed in the next 20 years in three phases. Aside from the main station area, it will also contain a residential area and business hubs.
Railway infrastructure will gobble a huge chunk of the project at US $169m followed by water supply and construction of roads and pavements that will take US $38m and US $19m respectively. The draft plans describe it as a “multi-modal” hub in the CBD that will guarantee “seamless connection” among commuter rail, three Bus Rapid Transits, airport limousine city bus, and non-motorized transport such as bicycles.
“The Nairobi Railway City will include multi-modal transit stations, mixed-use or commercial buildings, international offices, small and medium enterprise clusters, and high-tech industry buildings,” said Transport Principal Secretary Charles Hinga.
Other facilities will include residential buildings, community and government buildings, open spaces and plazas, and powerful non-motorized and pedestrian walkways. “Such a diverse urban program will generate a 24-hour dynamic city,” added the PS. The project expects to ease congestion on Uhuru Highway, Haile Selassie Avenue, and Landhies Road.
Kenyans will be expected to give their views on the project in the next sixty days before the plans are finalized.
Scope of the Nairobi Railway Project
The Nairobi Railway project, which would cost Sh27.9 billion, was developed by the UK firm Atkins Global. It was unveiled by the UK Prime Minister’s G7 and G20, Sherpa Jonathan Black.
During the ceremony, the government also disclosed that it is negotiating for up to Sh220 billion in UK Export Finance for Kenyan projects, with the new central station likely to be the first to benefit. UK Deputy High Commissioner Julius Court, Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director General Mohammed Badi, National Treasury Director for Public Investment Management Stanley Kamau, and Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga also attended the ceremony.
The proposed station is part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s larger Nairobi Railway City revitalization proposal, which the UK government backs. It aims to reconstruct 425 acres of central Nairobi in order to relieve congestion and boost economic growth. The Nairobi Railway City, according to the Court, is a flagship project in the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership, which was agreed upon by President Kenyatta and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the Africa Investment Summit in 2020.
According to Chris Crombie, Design Director for Atkins, the Nairobi Railway City is a very important showpiece project in the heart of the city and the entrance to East Africa. Crombie stated that the railway city project would help the Kenyan government generate jobs as well as green and sustainable infrastructure that promotes rehabilitation. The Nairobi Railway City is anticipated to be a world-class, climate-resilient project that will provide transportation capacity to support future expansion and establish the groundwork for a Green City of the Future.
President Uhuru and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson originally agreed on the arrangement two years ago in London. At Sh17.6 billion, railway infrastructure will take the lion’s share. The first phase contains the Central Railway Station as well as a business complex with two 5,000-square-metre buildings.
Nairobi Railway City Project Timeline
October 2015
Kenya Railways mega city in the offing
Plans are on top gear for a multi-billion-shilling railway city in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, Africa’s fourth largest city and the business, financial, transport, and logistics hub of the East and Central African region. Kenya Railways, a state corporation, is seeking investors to develop the city as it seeks to harness its 63-hectare land in the central business district.
Sources close to the Corporation have revealed that successful bidders will lease the land on a renewable 60-year term and they will be required to commence development within a year of the grant of the lease. The investors are required to complete the project over a maximum of six years from the grant of the lease.
The proposed city development, located between Haile Sellasie Avenue, Uhuru Highway, and Bunyara road, has attracted worldwide interest, with American real estate tycoon Donald Trump being among 43 other interested parties including TPS Serena, Commercial Bank of Africa, Spencon International, and Associated Motors.
The project will see the construction of a 5-star hotel, a modern 4-star hotel with state-of-the-art conference facilities, exclusive cottages, an international quality 9-hole golf course, and a huge shopping mall with sufficient parking lots.
The project will comprise a 100-room 5-star hotel, a 600-room 4-star business hotel, top-of-the-range exclusive cottages, a nine-hole golf course, a golf clubhouse with a modern gym and associated facilities, conference facilities, exhibition rooms, Africa’s first IMAX theatre, and adequate parking facilities.
Kenya Railways joins a growing list of major corporate giants; NSSF, NHC, Centum Investment, Britam, and CIC insurance, who are venturing into the thriving real estate market.
Kenya Railways is mandated to provide skills and technology for the railway sector, provide efficient and effective railway services, leverage its assets to grow business, and promote, facilitate, and participate in national and metropolitan railway network development.
July 2020 Kenya Invites bids for the construction of the planned Nairobi Railway City
The government of Kenya through the ministry of Housing and Urban Development invites bids for the construction of the proposed Nairobi Railway City, which is intended to expand the Central Business District.
This tender notice comes approximately two months after the annunciation of the formation of the Railway City Development Authority (RCDA), a special purpose vehicle for the project, and an implementation committee that would spearhead the operation of the Authority, develop a framework for the actualizing of the railway city, and identify anchor projects and investors.
All bids from interested and eligible candidates must be received on or before the 20th of August this year, according to the ministry.
Implementation of the project
The iconic multi-modal, transit-oriented, urban development project consisting of a new railway station that allows for the integration of BRT and other public transport modes as well as other commercial developments including skyscrapers, residential flats, a cultural center, and a museum, is part of the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Plan.
It will be implemented in three phases within a span of 20 years on a 425-acre piece of land stretching from Haile Selassie Avenue, Uhuru Highway, Bunyala Road, Commercial Street, and Landhies Road.
The first phase entails the construction of meetings, incentive conferences, and exhibition facilities along Bunyala Road. This phase will be executed between this year and 2023.
The second phase will be the construction of an economic zone comprising of hi-tech industries and small and medium enterprises while the third and final phase, the East core, will be the construction of a residential complex featuring a school, park, and affordable housing units.
Upon completion, the economic free zone is expected to create more than 200,000 employment opportunities while the residential complex is expected to accommodate approximately 28,000 residents.
This project will be the largest and most ambitious development ever to be undertaken in the metropolitan region since independence and is expected to attract local and international private capital.
July 2020
UK Firm Selected To Design Rail Transit System
Atkins, a British multinational engineering, design, planning, architectural design, project management, and consulting services company, and a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin, has been appointed to design the Rail Transit System (RTS) for the proposed Nairobi Railway City.
This was revealed in a statement released by the British High Commission in Nairobi. According to the statement, the London-based company will particularly design Nairobi’s new Central Train Station that allows for the integration of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and other public transport modes, and associated public grounds.
Also Read: Kenya invites bids for construction of planned Nairobi Railway City
The RTS contract is the first major local deal for Atkins, which acquired Kenyan engineering firm, Howard Humphreys East Africa, back in March 2016 as part of its strategy to make Kenya’s capital home to its regional office for Africa.
Breathe a new life into the Nairobi Railway City project
The appointment of the UK firm to design the Rail Transit System comes as a breath of new life into the Nairobi Railway City project, which was initiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta in a bid to redevelop the Nairobi central business district.
Upon completion, the Nairobi Railway City shall have multi-modal transit stations, mixed-use or commercial buildings, international offices, small and medium enterprise clusters,s and high-tech industry buildings according to Transport Principal Secretary, Charles Hinga.
Other facilities planned for the city include residential buildings, community and government buildings, open spaces and plazas, and powerful non-motorized and pedestrian walkways.
The proposed development site
The Nairobi Railway City will be developed on a site that sits on the Nairobi Central Railway Station, the marshaling yard, and the Kenya Railways Pension Scheme Land, (commonly known as Landimawe).
The site stretches further to the locomotive and wagon workshops, and the section of Nairobi’s Industrial Area that edges the southern boundary of the Nairobi Railway Station.
Dec 2022
Groundbreaking ceremony held for Nairobi Railway City project, Kenya
A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held to mark the start of the construction of the Nairobi Railway City in Kenya. This comes approximately 6 months after the development’s final design plan was unveiled by the UK and Kenyan government members at the Serena Hotel.
Speaking at the ceremony, the then Transport Principal Secretary Joseph Njoroge revealed that the project implementation would begin in two months’ time and that the government was committed to ensuring its smooth execution.
However, the government according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi delayed in finalizing key documents consequently delaying the implementation of the project until recently when the sitting president of Kenya engaged with UK officials to strike Public Private Partnership (PPP).
As a result of the engagement, the United Kingdom committed £80 million to the Nairobi Railway City project.
June 2023
Kenya and UK Ink Design Contract for City Central Rail Station
Kenya and the United Kingdom have signed a design contract for the construction of the Nairobi Railway City and Central Station, marking a significant step towards realizing the Nairobi Railway City Project. The agreement was formalized by Kenya’s Roads and Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen and UK’s WS Atkins International Limited.
The Central Station will play a vital role in transforming urban mobility in the Nairobi Metropolitan area, with the Nairobi Commuter Rail network capable of accommodating 30,000 passengers during peak hours. The project aligns with the Kenyan government’s focus on promoting economic growth through MSME inclusivity, trade, and sustainable housing development.
The Central Station and Public Realm will be part of the initial phase of the project, expected to create 5,000 jobs during construction and an additional 5,000 jobs upon completion. The development will prioritize climate resilience and environmental sustainability, with efforts to minimize carbon emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and incorporate features like flood protection and drought-resistant landscaping.
The UK government will provide technical assistance and financing through UK Export Finance, showcasing a collaborative effort to foster sustainable development and economic growth in Kenya. The signing of the contract paves the way for the accelerated development of other projects within the Nairobi Railway City, presenting opportunities for private sector investment in various sectors.
Completion of the intricate designs is anticipated by the end of 2023, with major construction work scheduled to commence in January 2024. Kenya’s CS Murkomen expressed admiration for similar urban regeneration projects in the UK and emphasized the importance of coordinated planning and development in delivering a project of this magnitude.
The signing ceremony included the presence of key leaders and officials, including representatives from Kenya Railways, the British High Commission, and WS Atkins International Limited.
March 2024
Need to expedite the Nairobi Railway City Project
Not much has been reported as happening in recent times regarding the Nairobi Railway City Project that was to turn the area around the Nairobi Railway City into a vibrant modern metropolis, In March Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi voiced the need for the project to be expedited when he met the British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan.
The project to be located around the current railway station in Nairobi was reported to cost US$169 million. The project was to be constructed in three phases over 20 years. The first phase was to include the Central Railway Station and a business complex with two 5,000-square-metre towers.
