This archive report was first published on 15 October 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta will officially launch the Naivasha station of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) on October 15, 2019, marking the completion of the second phase of the railway project from Nairobi to Naivasha.
The launch comes as a group of residents has gone to court to stop the relocation of families living on the 1,000-acre land earmarked for the special economic zone. However, Naivasha sub-county commissioner Mbogo Mathioya has assured that all is set for the event, which will start at Syokimau and end in Mai Mahiu.
According to Mathioya, President Kenyatta will open various stations along the way, including the Internal Container Depot at the dry port near Mai Mahiu town. The commissioner also stated that the Government was aware of the court case and was handling it through the concerned department.
However, Narok East MP Ken Aramat has expressed concerns that more than 10,000 families would be affected by the project and that the 4,000 acres provided would not be enough to compensate them.
Traders have welcomed the launch, saying it will open up businesses and towns served by the railway.
