The "Eco-Friendly Steel Arteries" Pulsing through East Africa

Photo shows a passenger train on the Mombasa-Nairobi railway crossing the Mazeras Bridge. (Provided by China Communications Construction Company Limited)

The Kenya Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) — comprising the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway (completed in 2017) and the first phase of the Naivasha-Malaba Railway (completed in 2019) — stretches 592 kilometers across the country. Since becoming operational, the railway has made significant contributions to Kenya's economic growth, job creation, and technical talent cultivation.

Built by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), the project integrated ecological protection into every stage of the railway's planning, construction, and operation. Measures included replacing embankments with bridges to maintain wildlife migration routes, constructing multi-level wildlife crossings, adopting innovative environmentally friendly construction techniques, and optimizing route alignment to minimize ecological disturbance. Together, these efforts formed an integrated ecological protection mechanism.

These two "eco-friendly steel arteries" spanning East Africa have significantly enhanced regional transportation efficiency while offering a model for harmonious coexistence between humans and nature in large-scale infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive areas. 

Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta once remarked that the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway would "begin to reshape the story of Kenya for the next 100 years."

Aerial photo taken on Oct. 16, 2019 shows the first passenger train of the first phase of the Nairobi-Malaba railway berthing at the Nairobi Railway Station in Kenya.

Key Challenges

Kenya's economy relies heavily on ecotourism, driven by its rich wildlife resources. However, the railways traverse national parks and wildlife reserves, posing a direct threat to animal habitats. Therefore, there was an urgent need for a management system that reconciles wildlife protection with development — one that fosters synergy between engineering and ecology.

Solution Pathways

A full-cycle ecological monitoring mechanism was put in place, featuring regular joint patrols with Kenyan partners and 24-hour emergency response in critical sections. Along the entire railway network, 59 wildlife safety warning signs and approximately 900 kilometers of protective fencing were installed. A systematic wildlife passage system framework was developed, with crossing locations identified through scientific analysis, bridge clearance heights and spans designed to accommodate large animals, and guiding fences and isolation barriers set up to channel animal movement safely.

Practical Benefits for Local Communities

Wild animals now freely pass through specially designed bridges and culverts. By May 31, 2025, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway has contributed over 2% to Kenya's GDP and boosted industrial output along the route by 15%. Since its construction and operation began, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway has created over 74,000 local jobs, with a local employment rate exceeding 90%, and has trained more than 2,800 highly skilled railway technical and management professionals.

Photo taken with a smartphone on April 27, 2025, shows a viaduct of the Nairobi-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway traversing Nairobi National Park in Kenya. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)