Protests over planned Standard Gauge Railway route

Conservationists demonstrate along Lang’ata Road in Nairobi, yesterday, against the decision to allow the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway through Nairobi National Park. [photo: BEVERLYNE MUSILI/Standard]

A group of environmentalists yesterday held protests in Nairobi to oppose the proposal to construct a section of the Standard Gauge Railway through the Nairobi National Park.

Marching under the banner of the Kenya Coalition for Wildlife Conservation and Management, the protesters presented a petition to the Kenya Wildlife Service to compel the Government to use alternative routes for the six-kilometre bridge, saying the move would spell death for the treasured park. “Doing this will have both short-term and long-term effects to not only the park, but to the residents of Nairobi too,” Kahindi Lekalhaile, one of the organisers of the demonstration, said.

Lekalhaile argues that if that section of the railway is constructed, animals will be displaced and thus increase cases of human wildlife conflict.

“Why won’t the government stick to the original route? They are treating the park like it is vacant land available for acquisition,” he said.

KWS has assured to consult the public saying an Environmental Impact Assessment report will also be done and laid bare for all.

“We have been having these serious conversations before and we hope the public participates more once the EIA report is done,” Paul Gathitu, KWS spokesperson, told The Standard on Saturday.

Lekhalailhe, however, says that the EIA report will be of little use since the Government has made its preferences known.

“We already know that that report will be tailored to fit the intentions of the central government. It will do little to change what the Executive has already set its mind on,” he said.

The SGR is a flagship project under the Kenya Vision 2030 development agenda meant to connect Mombasa to Malaba on the border with Uganda and continue onward to Kampala.