Murkomen outlines plans to introduce environment friendly vehicles

Transport Kipchumba Murkomen. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said the government is coming up with solutions to deal with vehicles that emit unpleasant substances.

Speaking after the conclusion of the African Climate Change Summit, Murkomen said one of the options is adopting e-mobility, which is basically shifting to electric-powered vehicles and trains.

The CS said already some investors have already expressed interest in working with the Ministry towards achieving the goal.

"There are investors who want to do conversion, they take existing motorcycles using oil and convert them to electric and that will also happen to vehicles," Murkomen said.

Adding that, "We are going to reduce pollution because an electric car or motorcycle is not noisy, does not produce smoke, and it is clean."

Murkomen said embracing e-mobility will spur industrial growth and will solve the pollution problem in Nairobi by 80 per cent.

Once this is achieved, the CS said it will cut on fuel imports which has been costly to the economy of the country in terms of foreign exchange.

At the same time, Murkomen said the revamping of the commuter rail system in the city has been going on for a year reconnecting estates.

Others include the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project along Thika Road which stalled last year but he pledged that the construction is set to resume by December 2024.

He said the government is engaging an investor who will come with a hundred electric buses equipped with features like telematics which will ensure security of the passengers.

BRT is expected to change the transport system and is aimed at seeing people abandon private vehicles and embrace public means of transport.

The CS regretted that during the construction of many roads pedestrians and cyclists were not considered but the problem will be solved.