Fishermen in Sh 600m Standard Gauge Railway payout

More than 1,600 fishermen displaced by the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) could be compensated up to Sh600 million, less than a third of their initial demand.

The payout, likely to be settled within the year, is expected to break a major standoff pitting the State against the fisher folk – who include fishermen whose incomes have been disrupted with reclamation of the waters.

The fisher folk had initially demanded Sh1.9 billion before moving out of the 8 kilometre stretch of the Indian ocean creek running from the port to Miritini area.

“We hope to start making the payments once the payout has been agreed on,” said Kenya Railways Corporation managing director Atanas Maina.

Fishermen, fishmongers and providers of boat repair services are among the prospective beneficiaries. Mr Maina said a working sum of Sh405 million has been considered but had not been agreed on by among other the affected county governments.

Life changing

However findings of an earlier study carried out to determine the collective compensation package at Sh600 million.

Beneficiaries could earn up to Sh375,000, on average, based on the study proposals. KRC has paid out more than Sh12 billion as compensation, mostly in outright acquisition for land on which the railway has been built. Another Sh18 billion has been allocated but not settled due to land ownership disputes along the railway corridor.

But unlike the landowners, the fishing community does not own either the Indian Ocean waters or the beaches for landing sites.

More than 200 metres of the shoreline, which was previously the landing site for the fishers and other traders, has been reclaimed. A dozen railway lines will be constructed at the terminus, alongside cargo storage facilities.

A newly completed container terminal at the Port Reitz area will be linked to the railway line, to enable trains pick up the directly from the ships. It is anticipated that the railway line will accommodate 20 trains in a 24-hour cycle, half travelling up from Mombasa. Four of the trains are projected to ferry passengers, two in either direction.

Meanwhile, the laying of the rail track on the first phase of the multi-billion shilling system has covered 180 kilometres, officials have revealed. Now officials indicate civil works is about 75 per cent complete with the expected completion in June 2017.

The track laying will cover 472-kilometres on the first phase that will run from Mombasa to Nairobi.

Speaking during a media tour of the stretch from kilometre zero in Mombasa to Nairobi, Kenya Railways Managing Director Athanus Maina said the rail rack has been laid at Voi and Kathekani.

“Work is ongoing in Voi with the hosting of the beams along elevated sections of the track,’’ the MD said.

At the same time, a team of experts from Kenya Railways will be in China next week to carry out technical review specifications for rail equipment to be used once the SGR line is complete and ready for use.

‘’The team going to China shall include mechanical, civil and electrical engineers and shall be headed by Eng Maxwell Mengich, the SGR Project engineer in Kenya,’’ the MD said.

Elsewhere, Acting director General Vision 2030 Delivery Secretary, Prof Gituro Wainaina has described the SGR project at the best thing to happen for Kenya.

Prof Gituro who spoke in Voi said that with the completion of the SGR project, Kenya will be on course to attaining middle level status in less than a decade to come.

"This is a real enabler project that has provided our own people with opportunities to engage directly or indirectly with the project," Prof Geturo who was flanked by Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat Public Relations manager Veronica Muchiri said.

Taita Taveta County governor, Eng John Mruttu said that the SGR project has presented employment opportunities to many locals.

“To some, this is a life-changing opportunity with some locals gaining knowledge and skills transfer and a boost to economic activities that have come up as a result of the project traversing parts of the county," Mruttu said.