news
Kenya Railways starts SGR takeover from Chinese firm SAM KIPLAGAT The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has commenced a gradual takeover of operations on the standard gauge railway from Africa Star Railway Operation Company amid concerns of high costs of keeping trains moving. KRC chairman Omudho Awitta said the corporation had already assumed ticketing, security and fuelling functions on the SGR passenger and cargo trains as part of a deal to fully run operations on the Chinese funded and built track by May next year. “KRC has not terminated its contract with Africa Star Railway Operation Company (AfriStar). We have negotiated so that we take over the running of the standard gauge railway (SGR),” said Mr Awitta in response to the Business Daily queries Thursday. “The contract between the two parties was to run for 10 years from 2017 with provision clause for review in the fifth year.” KRC in 2017 contracted AfriStar, a subsidiary company of China Roa
Kenya Railways Pays NYS, KDF Ksh1.8B for Revamped Line
A train pictured on the NCPB Kisumu railway line in July 2020.
File
The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) on March 4, announced that it has so far paid National Youth Service (NYS) and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Ksh1.8 Billion to revamp old railway lines.
By using KDF and NYS, Kenya Railways saved billions by opting not to engage a contractor which could have otherwise cost Ksh18 billion.
KRC Managing Director Philip Mainga explained that the company was spending a fraction of what they could have paid a private contractor.
A section of the Nakuru-Kisumu railway line that is under rehabilitation.
THE STANDARD By
Sara Okuoro |
March 4th 2021 at 09:48:23 GMT +0300
A section of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train at Syokimau in Nairobi. [David Njaaga, Standard]
Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has begun the process of taking over the operations of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from the Chinese operator- Afristar.
The corporation has already assumed ticketing, security and fuelling functions of the Standard Gauge Railways (SGR) and expects to complete the takeover by May next year, Kenya Railways Chairman Omudho Awitta said on Thursday.
“We have negotiated with the contractor so that we take over the running of the standard gauge railway. The first phase has started, we have taken over the security, ticketing and fueling of the trains. These phases will go on smoothly up to May 2022 when we take overall operations,” said Awitta.
Kenya Railways Unveils Trains to Kisumu & Western Kenya
Kenya Railways station at Dandora, Nairobi
Facebook
Kenya Railways has set the date for trains to Western Kenya as it gears towards finishing the construction of a 24.35 km new meter-gauge railway line linking Naivasha with Longonot.
Managing Director Philip Mainga said that the commuter services to Busia through Kisumu will commence in September 2021. Mainga also detailed how passengers will connect from Busia to Malaba.
Nakuru will act as a stopover for trains from Malaba and Kisumu. The train from Kisumu will terminate its journey in Nakuru where the passengers will be transferred to the one from Malaba for the rest of the journey to Naivasha.
Kenya Railways Picks 3000 Kenyans for Multibillion Project
President Uhuru Kenyatta at the Nairobi Central Railway Station on November 10, 2020.
PSCU
Over 3,000 Kenyans have benefitted from the ongoing construction of the new railway line between Naivasha Inland Container Depot (ICD) and Longonot, according to the Kenya Railways Corporation.
The disclosure came on Tuesday, February 16 by the corporation after a team from the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee (NDICCC) led by Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa inspected the Ksh3.7 billion project which is currently 50 % complete.
Among the dignitaries who accompanied Wamalwa included Tourism CS Najib Balala, Transport CS James Macharia and Trade CS Betty Maina.