This archive report was first published on 17 December 2019.
On December 17, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to launch cargo services on the Nairobi-Suswa Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project, a KSh150 billion initiative that aims to connect the East and West Coast of the country.
The launch will follow a groundbreaking of a 1000-acre Naivasha Economic zone and will be attended by an envoy from the President of China, including the chairman of China Road and Bridge Corporation.
According to Transport PS Esther Koimett, the intention is to connect to the meter gauge and give seamless connectivity to the west of this area and then into the regional markets.
Proponents of the project argue that it will cut the reliance on road transport heading to Kenya's interior. However, there are concerns that the cargo services launch before the Naivasha inland port is ready.
According to Economist David Nashon, the early launch even before the Container Depot is ready serves to boost investor confidence. He noted, 'What they would be looking for in an early launch is the boosting of investor confidence. The government would want to maintain the rail option for importers in the hinterland ahead of the full operation of the line.'
Lastly, truckers fear that the government might force them to ditch the road and transport goods via the SGR, threatening their livelihoods.
