Residents of Bureti, Kericho County, have staged protests over the reported alteration of the proposed Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) route, claiming the changes could deny the area a planned terminal.

The residents alleged that the railway route surveyed in 2022 had been changed without their knowledge or public participation, raising concerns over the fate of the proposed Chebinin terminal and the economic opportunities expected from the project.

During the demonstrations on Sunday, July 12, 2026, residents demanded the reinstatement of the original route, arguing that the SGR project should benefit the wider community.

“Hii SGR imeletwa kufaidi wananchi wa hapa. Na kitu ni East Africa. Alafu inakuwaje, mtu mmoja mwenye mali, mwenye tajiri na ambaye umepigiwa kura na wananchi, alafu upeleke ikufaidi wewe mwenyewe? Sisi pia ni watu. Sisi pia tunataka tufaidike! SGR itabaki kuwa hapa!” one of the protesters said.

Compensation

Reverend Titus Lang’at said residents had already embraced the project, with some affected landowners reportedly processing ownership documents and succession matters in anticipation of compensation.

“Juzi President alilaunch na akasema kwamba kila kitu inafanyiwa, watu wa area hii, kwa sababu mimi ni pastor wa area hii, wakatengeneza matitles, wakafanyiwa succession, na wanangoja saa hii malipo kutoka Land Commission. So juzi tukasikia kwamba kuna mabadiliko, na hatuwezi kubali,” Langat said.

He added that his church had even halted construction activities to accommodate the proposed railway project.

David Langat, another resident, called on the government to provide a clear position on the fate of the proposed station.“We need a clear stand from the government that the station should remain forever,” he said.

He also warned against any alleged attempt to divert the station to a tea plantation.

“Secondly, we want to tell the area MP: if he is concerned of diverting the station to a so-called, you know, tea plantation, should stop from now. ”

SGR extension

The SGR extension, officially launched by President William Ruto and his counterpart of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, on March 19, 2026, will be developed in two phases.

The Naivasha–Kisumu section will cover 264 kilometres, while the Kisumu–Malaba stretch will add 107 kilometres, bringing the total length to over 370 kilometres at Ksh500 billion.

Once complete, the railway will pass through nine counties and is expected to be operational by June 2027, boosting connectivity between the Great Rift Valley, Nyanza, and Western Kenya regions.