This archive report was first published on 5 August 2019.
Published on August 5, 2019, the Kenya Ports Authority announced that the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) cargo service had generated Sh50 billion in revenues for the first half of the year.
The development comes as the government has issued a new directive requiring all imported cargo destined for Nairobi and beyond to be transported via the SGR, starting from Wednesday.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) jointly issued a public notice stating that all imported cargo for delivery to Nairobi and the hinterland shall be conveyed by the SGR and cleared at the Inland Container Depot – Nairobi.
This move is likely to have a significant impact on the business community at the Coast, with employees of Container Freight Stations (CFS) and clearing and forwarding agents facing uncertainty.
Despite the SGR's commercial viability being under intense scrutiny, KRA and KPA hope that the new directive will breathe new life into the project.