Last Updated 13 years ago by Kenya Engineer
President Uhuru Kenyatta will on Thursday commission the Sh1.2 trillion Mombasa-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line. The project will be done in two phases. Phase one will include Mombasa-Nairobi to be completed by December 2016 while Phase two will be completed in 2018 and will include Nairobi-Malaba and Kisumu.
The project was awarded to the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, Eng. Michael Kamau defended the Chinese company saying that the tender was done above board as due diligence was carried out before it was awarded.
“The CBRC has a legal standing, financial capacity and preparedness to enter the contract with the Kenya Railways for the project,” he said. Eng. Kamau was speaking when he appeared before the Transport, Public Works and Housing Committee of the National Assembly on Thursday. He said the government of China cannot submit briefcase contractors as this will put her image at stake.
“This is a huge investment and not even the US government or the UK can give such money. Based on the magnitude of the project, I would like to confirm that there is no way the Chinese government can back briefcase contractors,” Eng. Kamau said.
On completion, the 1,250km railway will also increase GDP by at least 1.5 per cent per annum. It will see the speed of passenger commuter trains improve to about 120KM per hour (120Kph) and that of cargo to about 80 km per hour (80Kph) compared to the current 40. It will also ease congestion at the Port of Mombasa and reduce the cost of transportation in the country and the region.
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