Boon for region as revival of old railway line gets underway

Traders at Chaka Market in Nyeri County sell cabbages on the Karatina-Nanyuki section of the metre-gauge railway. Kenya Railways has given them notice to vacate. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

The government has stepped up the rehabilitation of the old metre-gauge railway from Nairobi to Nanyuki at a cost of Sh3 billion.

Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said the project, which is expected to ease the cost of transport of goods in Mt Kenya region, has already begun and will be carried out concurrently with the construction of the proposed Kenol-Sagana-Marua dual carriageway road.

Rehabilitation of the 240km railway is also expected to breathe life into the now ghost “railway towns” in the region.

Macharia said traders along the line have been asked to relocate to pave way for the project.

“The youth will benefit from jobs, while skilled personnel will be considered according to their areas of specialisation,” said the CS at the weekend.

The revival of the railway line came a week after Mt Kenya governors met in Nairobi in a bid to kick-start the project that has delayed since 2017 when it was first proposed. 

Relocation notice

Last week, Kenya Railways Managing Director Phillip Mainga issued a notice to traders to relocate.

On Saturday, National Youth Service personnel were busy clearing bushes along the railway around Chaka area, heading toward Kiganjo railway station in Nyeri County.

The railway line, which serves the greater Mt Kenya region, has two branches.

The first branch, which is undergoing rehabilitation goes from Nairobi-Ruiru-Thika-Makuyu-Murang’a-Sagana-Karatina-Nyeri-Naro Moru-Nanyuki.

The second branch starts from Nairobi-Limuru-Kijabe-Longonot-Gilgil-Ol Kalou in Nyandarua County. Despite its agricultural potential, the Mt Kenya region largely depends on road transport, meaning that farmers incur high costs of transport. 

The revival of the railway line is, therefore, expected to provide a major boost to coffee, tea and macadamia farmers as such produce destined for sea export will be transported to the Port of Mombasa directly by railway. This is expected to cut transports costs by nearly a half.

Alternative

“The road transport has been the only alternative mode of transport for bulky agricultural cargo as well as commercial goods such as oil. Compared to rail, road transport is expensive both to farmers and business people and greatly shortens the lifespan of our highways,” Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, one of the initiators of the new project, told our sister publication Mt Kenya Star last week.

The rehabilitation of the railway is also expected to fast-track the establishment of Special Economic Zones in places like Ruiru and Thika.