The first railway in East Africa was a two-foot gauge trolley line in Mombasa Kenya operated by hand-propelled wagons. The original route was 11km from Mombasa. In 1896, the building of a railway from Mombasa to Lake Victoria began.

The plate-laying ceremony was on May 30, 1896. Most labour was imported from India. By 1898, the Line had reached the Tsavo River. The construction was held up by two lions, which killed African and Asian workers. By 1899, 300km of track had been laid and reached Nairobi. A new route was surveyed from Nakuru to Winam Gulf. The railhead reached Lake Victoria, 9301Km from Mombasa, in December 1901.