On the Right Track

A freight train runs on an extension of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway on July 5 (XINHUA)

By Derrick Silimina

It’s 4 a.m. and Julius Kamau is leaving his house to start his day as a taxi driver operating out of Kenya’s port city of Mombasa. 

Kamau picks passengers arriving at the Mombasa Terminus of the largest seaport in Kenya by the new China-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line. Mombasa is a favorite holiday destination for tourists, especially during weekends, holidays and the festive season.  

“This railway infrastructure is of great importance to us. In the past, most of us local taxi operators used to get fewer bookings; but now the SGR brings more commuters. It has also shortened the travel time from Nairobi to Mombasa,” Kamau told ChinAfrica.   

A game changer 

A landmark project of the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Kenya, the SGR has revolutionized mobility, connectivity and commerce in East Africa’s largest economy.  

Gertrude Kitonga’s boutique store, which is located in Nairobi’s central business district, has recently become popular due to the classic clothing that comes from China and is delivered on time thanks to the SGR’s speedy transportation and clearance process. 

The 35-year-old mother of two is delighted because her consignment of cargo that arrives at the Mombasa seaport each month-end gets delivered to her shop within two days, making her business thrive. 

“My business is now booming due to SGR’s efficient cargo clearance system, as my goods are delivered within a week, while in the past it took 30 days using heavy commercial vehicles like trucks, due to delays in cargo clearance at the port city of Mombasa,” Kitonga said. 

Arguably, the SGR’s operational efficiency for small-scale traders in the East African country ensures that cargo importation is a viable and profitable venture, hence revolutionizing transportation of goods between Mombasa and Nairobi as it offers faster, safe, reliable and convenient service. 

According to the SGR operator, Africa Star Railway Operation Co. Ltd. (AfriStar), the 480-km rail line linking Mombasa and Nairobi was built by China Road and Bridge Corp. and officially opened to traffic in 2017. The state-of-the-art rail system has ferried over 6 million passengers between the two cities since its launch in 2017 till October 31, 2021.  

With six passenger trains on average and 17 freight trains operating along the Mombasa-Nairobi corridor on a daily basis, AfriStar is pleased that the railway has reduced journey time while guaranteeing safety of commuters and bulk cargo. 

“Our construction quality has been fully proven over the past five years since the modern railway facility was launched,” AfriStar General Manager Li Jiuping said recently. 

The SGR is indeed transforming lives for the better even more than what was expected in Kenya. The Kenya Railways has since affirmed that the investment in SGR is bearing fruit, citing an increase in revenues of local small and medium enterprises. 

“We believe that the SGR is poised to recover the investment Kenya has put in it in the long run,” said Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga. 

In terms of bulk cargo transportation, it is estimated that in 2021 alone, the freight train has transported 382,000 20-foot equivalent units as of October 31, hence enhancing the safety of cargo and protecting pristine habitats along the corridor.  

“We have a team that identifies cargo at the port of Mombasa that has been imported by small traders destined for Nairobi, and it is given priority on the SGR,” Mainga said, adding that his company has since partnered with the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Alliance of Kenya in order to ease the transportation of cargo along the SGR. 

Trade experts say SGR’s special rate of 54,000 Kenyan shillings (about $450) for transporting 20-foot containers between the port of Mombasa and the Nairobi Terminus is favorable when compared to the road transport which costs at least $800 on the same route. 

 

Wider impact 

For taxi operators like Kamau whose transport business depends on time management, the SGR is a vital infrastructure that, if well managed, has the capacity to foster socio-economic development by growing not only the local transport industry, but also other sectors as well.  

“Ever since the SGR started operation in 2017, my business has grown so much that in the past four years, I managed to buy my own taxi and that’s why I am my own boss now, unlike before when I used to work for someone else. Thanks to the SGR for the inspiration!” Kamau added. 

The Mombasa-Nairobi SGR has become the first choice for most people who commute between the two cities for various needs.  

Monica Wakesho, a frequent traveler on the Mombasa-Nairobi route by the Madaraka Express train, said that the SGR train is faster and safer compared to road transport. 

“When you look at the bus fare between Nairobi and Mombasa, it has doubled in the last three years, but the ticket price of the SGR hasn’t gone up. For instance, the price of economy seats is 1,000 Kenyan shillings ($8.31),” Wakesho, a freight clearing agent at the port, affirmed. The price for a bus ticket for the route is $9-15.  

Besides bringing more business to taxi drivers, the SGR has also created other employment opportunities. There are jobs for working on the passenger trains and operating equipment of the cargo trains, among others. 

At a cost of over $3.8 billion, the SGR was among Kenya’s most expensive infrastructure projects at the time of its launch. The main contractor, China Road and Bridge Corp., hired 25,000 Kenyans to work on the railway. The entire project has created 46,000 jobs in total for local citizens. 

Underscoring the project’s importance to the Kenyan economy, Kenya’s then President Uhuru Kenyatta recently boarded the train to the coastal city of Mombasa and interacted with passengers. 

“Earlier today, I took the SGR train from Nairobi to Mombasa, during which I met and interacted with fellow commuters who shared their interesting experiences about the service. I am glad that the SGR train service has eased travel for people between the two cities,” Kenyatta wrote on his twitter after the trip.  

Earlier in 2019, Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni took a ride on the express train, accompanied by his Kenyan counterpart, to assess the construction and operation of the SGR.  

The two leaders were very much impressed by the reception accorded by the SGR staff. Both heads of state interacted with passengers and the staff of the SGR operating company in front of the Nairobi Terminus.  

The SGR team were pleased to receive a written thank-you note from a Ugandan business representative: “This is the beginning of great relations between Kenya, Uganda and the East African region. Thank you for a great ride. We are pleased to ride this train with our President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni!”