State to relocate ten schools demolished to pave way for Standard Gauge Railway

The Government has launched a programme to permanently relocate 10 public schools that were demolished to pave way for the Sh327 billion Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

Kenya Railway Corporation (KR) yesterday announced plans to construct permanent buildings for six schools in Kwale, three in Makueni and one in Kajiado in what is expected to end three years of anxiety among residents. Pupils and students in the affected institutions have been learning in temporary structures put up in the new locations by the SGR contractor,China Roads and Bridges Corporation amid apprehension by local communities.

But in a paid up advertisement in the dailies yesterday, KR Managing Director Atanas Maina announced plans to construct permanent buildings for Mwamdudu Secondary School, Mpirani Primary School, Mariakani Roman Catholic Primary School, Julani Primacy School, Samburu Secondary School and Mgalani Primary School all in Kwale County.

Others that will benefit are Kiboko Primary School, St Agnes Kiboko Secondary School and Ngwata Primary school in Makueni County and Masimba Secondary School in Kajiado County.

"KR has through relevant stakeholder involvement identified various public institutions affected by the project and that require to be relocated to permanent locations. KR therefore intends to procure building contractors for the construction of these facilities and hereby invites eligible firms to submit their bids," Mr Maina said. He revealed that construction of the SGR track was 90 per cent complete as 440km of rail have already been laid.

He explained that the track would undergo test runs in March next year before full commercial operations starts where one train will be pulling a record 200 containers between the port and Embakasi inland container depot in Nairobi.

It is expected that four trains will be transporting containers taking eight hours daily and two passenger trains moving 1,000 people each daily in just four and half hours. SGR trains are expected to move over five million metric tonnes of cargo in the first three years.

"Operations on the SGR will start in June next year. Each cargo train will be moving 200 containers while the passenger train will transport 1,000 people. The trains will reduce the cost of transport and inject efficiency," Maina said.

The high capacity railway line will be completed one year ahead of schedule. Maina said by the end of this month, the Government will begin importing 60 locomotive engines, 1,620 wagons and 40 passenger coaches to make SGR operational.

"These will be enough to start the SGR operations. We are planning to start training about 200 Kenyans between now and 2017 on operation and maintenance of the locomotives," Maina said. The SGR line runs from Mombasa through Kwale, Taita Taveta, Makueni, Kajiado, Machakos and Nairobi.