The Kenya Railway Corporation (KRC) is finalizing the operationalization of the KES4.2B Mombasa Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) terminus and Mombasa Central Railway Station 26-kilometre Link Line Project.
KRC Managing Director Peter Mainga informed the National Assembly Committee on Implementation, led by Budalangi Member of Parliament Raphael Wanjala, during an inspection tour of SGR operations that the project is ready for launch.
The project started in September 2022, but was delayed due to land acquisition challenges. The Ministry of Transport allocated Sh1.1 billion to the National Land Commission to facilitate land acquisition, paving the way for the rehabilitation of the Mombasa Metre Gauge Railway (MGR) line up to Miritini. “I also want to invite them to see the volumes of cargo we are moving every day from the Port of Mombasa. But, importantly, is to assure this committee that from this terminus, we have completed a 26 kilometre line to the island,” Mainga stated.
Wanjala, on the other hand, expressed their satisfaction with KR freight and passenger operations as they mark eight years. Since inceptio,n the Madaraka Express has transported over 15.3 million passengers and 39.78 million tonnes of cargo.
He encouraged the Corporation to increase the number of cargo and passenger trains from 14 per day to 18 to reach the maximum and enhance trade between the Port of Mombasa, other parts of the country and the neighbouring landlocked countries. “They are not making any loss as Kenyans have believed. They are doing very well, and we have only three years to go before the repayment of the loan we took from the People’s Republic of China,” Wanjala said.
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