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Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics showed its standard gauge railway hauled 6 million metric tons of cargo last year, from 5.4 million a year earlier.

Last week, Kenya's and Uganda's transport ministers said they would accelerate another project to build a standard gauge railway to link Naivasha in Kenya and Uganda's capital Kampala.

In Tanzania, Yapi Merkezi is helping to build a 1,219-kilometer standard gauge railway line that the country is developing as part of efforts to boost trade with Uganda and other neighbouring countries.

“The standard gauge railway is the jewel in the crown of corruption in Kenya,” John Githongo, a former anti-corruption czar, said.

"Eventually, this standard gauge railway will still be complete because it is part of what we call the Belt and Road Initiative," said James Macharia, Kenya's transport minister.