Kenya's railway history and its Indian roots

Indians provided the bulk of the workforce for the first railway built in Kenya, more than a century ago.

Now the construction of the modern Standard Gauge Railway is progressing under a Chinese firm.

The Kenya-Uganda railway shaped Kenya as we know it today. It defined the location of many towns and the presence of Kenyans of Indian origin in some major towns like Mombasa, Nairobi and Kisumu.

The railway, which reached Kisumu (then known as Port Florence) in 1902, marked the beginning of Kenya's relationship with India, with most of the workmen who did the real construction being Indians.

After the Berlin Conference of 1885 where Africa was divided, the British set to open up the interior of East Africa by connecting the Indian Ocean to Uganda using the railway.

Construction began in 1895 and reached Nairobi in 1900, which, according to history books was swampy. The line actually defined most of Kenya with most major towns situated in its course.

commercial ventures

According to historians, the railway was christened the Lunatic Express by people who opposed its construction like Henry Labouchere, a member of the British Parliament.

But the 'iron snake', as some locals called it, followed the main road that was then known as the Sclaters Road, which ran from Mombasa to Busia in Kenya.

In order to cater for the British, and those working on the construction of the line, Indians began commercial ventures and their imprint is still visible to date. The line would be constructed all the way to Kisumu.

In the recent past, railway transport has suffered mainly due to competition from road transport.

Other branches of the railway were constructed later, including the Nairobi-Nanyuki branch; Gilgil-Nyahururu, Kisumu-Butere; Voi-Taveta and Nakuru-Eldoret-Malaba branches.

Although many young people may not have used railway transport, it is not lost that it was a darling of many Kenyans and was very reliable – unlike the situation today.