Railway to be made the main cargo carrier

Last Updated 13 years ago by Kenya Engineer

According to a press statement from State House, President Uhuru Kenyatta accentuated on his Government’s commitment to upgrading the railway lines; this followed a meeting with top officials of the General Electric (GE) Company in State House on Friday.  

GE operates as an infrastructure and financial services company worldwide.  This is with efforts to ease transportation of heavy cargo within and across borders from the Port of Mombasa.

Part of the budget for 2013/2014 as delivered by the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, Mr. Henry K. Rotich on June 13, 2013 stated the allotment of: Ksh 22 billion to commence the construction of a two-track standard gauge railway line from Mombasa to Kisumu to improve turn-round time and reduce significantly the cost of freight from Mombasa to Kisumu, by as much as 79 percent from about Ksh.140, 000 to Ksh.30, 000. 

Speaking at State House, President Kenyatta said the Government intends to make railway the main freight carrier, saying it is the only way forward in improving transportation of heavy cargo.

“We have been investing in roads but after a short span of time they are destroyed because of the heavy cargo transported by road. Although a modern railway line requires heavy investment, in the long run it pays off because of its efficiency,” President Kenyatta said.

President Kenyatta also said that the Government is looking forward to partnering which the private sector including the General Electric Company in the production of affordable energy and modernization of the railway line.

GE’s Vice-Chairman, John Rice said his company could help in securing funding for power and infrastructure projects in the country. He added that his company could also provide the necessary technology and training that would facilitate the implementation of major power and infrastructure projects.

The President who also officiated this year’s National Exporters Forum at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on the same day, further stated “Fast-tracking the modernization and expansion of the railway infrastructure in the country, commencing with the Mombasa-Kisumu railway line,” as part of the measures his Government was taking to ensure growth in the export sector.