This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has defended the government's directive to transport all cargo through the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from the port of Mombasa, despite protests from transporters and leaders from the coastal region.
Speaking before the Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi-led Senate Transport Committee, Macharia maintained that the order on the closure of Container Freight Stations (CFS) still stands, citing abuse and smuggling of goods as reasons for the shutdown.
“CFSs are abused, used to smuggle goods and deny the Government revenue. I want to say here we are going to close all the CFS and that is the position of the government,” he said.
Macharia also insisted that no transporter or importer is being compelled to use SGR to transport their cargo, despite claims from transporters that the directive was reversed. He cited statistics showing that SGR has transported 3.3 million tonnes of cargo this year, which is a small fraction of the 32 million tons that come into the country.
However, transporters and leaders from the coastal region disputed Macharia's claims, saying that he had made a public pronouncement revoking the notice but did not issue a written order to KPA and KRA suspending the directive.
“If indeed it was true that he had put the directive on hold, then none of us would have been here,” said Nyali MP Mohamed Ali, demanding for figures for cargo transport via road.
