Fresh twist in anti-SGR demos as outfit emerges

Human rights activists are led to a police car after they were arrested jointly with other members of the civil societies, Clearing and forwarding agents, transporters and Container Freight Station workers during a protest against the government's decision to have all containers ferried to Nairobi's Inland Container Deport after being off-loaded from the ships through the Standard Gauge Railway.

Cracks have emerged among traders and activists organising weekly street demonstrations in Mombasa against the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) freight service’s monopoly on transfer of inland import cargo from Mombasa Port. 

A section of transporters has disowned the protests spearheaded by rights groups Haki Africa, Muslims for Human Rights and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, 48 hours after Tourism CS Najib Balala also opposed the protests.

Following protests that began last month, the Transport and Interior ministries met Mombasa leaders and it was announced the mandatory evacuation of import cargo by SGR had been suspended and that port authorities could begin nominating cargo to private warehouses and logistics firms.

Reports indicate private container freight services have since been receiving 74 containers laden with cargo.

The protests have persisted because local leaders claim the monopoly has not been fully lifted and could be reimposed.

Speaking in Mombasa yesterday, the truckers led by Paul Mwangi of Agen Palm Logistics said they have started receiving business from the Port of Mombasa and were hauling containers to upcountry destinations after the government rescinded its earlier decision to compel importers to use SGR.

“We are getting business. We should never be lumped up with civil society activists in the name of agitating for our rights,’’ Mr Mwangi said.

A section of Coast politicians, scholars and activists want the flow of cargo controlled by market forces and argue that this decree on SGR haulage has shrunk Mombasa’s economy by 12 per cent.

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir said, “The monopoly order had no legal basis.

“The government must admit it was an illegality and it was now being rectified instead of just saying the order has been suspended.”