Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta will today travel to China to secure a Sh368 billion loan for the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) passenger train (Getty Images)

The government seeks funds to extend the railway to major towns in Kenya such as Naivasha and Kisumu and ultimately link it up with Uganda to ease trade within the region.

African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa, Raila Odinga will accompany Mr. Kenyatt on the trip.

Odinga confirmed the trip while in Kisumu during the weekend, “I will be part of the delegation that will accompany the President to China next week,” he said.

He also said they had discussed and agreed with President Uhuru to build a new port in Kisumu.

The new port would allow big vessels to dock and to transit goods from Kisumu to Sio port all the way to either port Bell Jinja and Bukoba in Uganda.

According to the government, the 120-kilometre stretch, from Nairobi to Naivasha, is estimated to cost a total of Sh 170 billion and will be completed in August as it was 80% complete.

The phase from Naivasha to Kisumu is estimated to cost another Sh360 billion before the government seeks for additional Sh170 billion to connect the line to Malaba.