Nairobi has set the ball rolling toward transforming its public transport system after the County Executive Committee, chaired by Governor Johnson Sakaja, approved the implementation framework for Phase I of the Nairobi Metropolitan Mass Rapid Transit System (NMRTS).
The decision, reached during the 90th County Executive Committee meeting, clears the way for the first phase of the ambitious mass transit project. County officials developed the plan in close technical collaboration with the Executive Office of the President.
Phase I will target two priority mobility corridors: an underground rail core running through the Central Business District (CBD) and the Eastlands Line, which will serve some of Nairobi’s busiest commuter routes.
“For far too long, the people of Nairobi, particularly our hard-working commuters from Eastlands and across the metropolitan area, have lost precious hours in traffic jams that slow down our economic growth,” Sakaja said.
“Today, we are moving from planning to implementation. The approval of Phase I of the NMRTS is our commitment to delivering a modern, fast, safe, and dignified public transport system. By integrating an underground CBD core with high-capacity links to Eastlands, we will unlock Nairobi’s economic potential, lower the cost of transport and build a cleaner, greener and world-class city,” he added.
The underground CBD segment is expected to reduce surface congestion by establishing integrated transit terminals that connect rail services with pedestrians and non-motorized transport.
Nairobi City County said the project will also create thousands of jobs during construction and throughout operations. It will, the county added, cut carbon emissions and support the city’s long-term sustainability and climate objectives.
Dr Silvester Kasuku, a Governance Advisor in the Executive Office of the President, presented the proposal, highlighting what officials described as close collaboration between the national government and Nairobi City County on the flagship infrastructure project.
Governor Sakaja further revealed that planning for Phase II has already begun. The next stage will extend the network to Westlands, Ngong Road, and Lang’ata, while serving fast-growing commuter communities in Ongata Rongai, Ngong, and Nairobi’s western corridor.
Once complete, the NMRTS will integrate with Nairobi’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system through strategically located interchange stations. Officials said the links will help create a seamless, high-capacity public transport network across the city.
The county government will now start public participation forums and hold stakeholder consultations with transport sector players, as it also conducts inter-agency planning ahead of the project’s official groundbreaking.
