Fate of Mombasa Port, SGR generates heated talk on campaign trail

Kenya Railways Officials offload Cargo from The SGR Train to the Meter Gauge Railway Cargo train at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot In Mai Mahiu, Nakuru County on January 10, 2021, for onward transportation to Malaba. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The heated debate on the transfer of port operations from Mombasa to Nairobi and Naivasha after the introduction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) freight service about five years ago has returned to haunt Coast politicians as they scramble for the 1.8 million voters to support their presidential candidates in the two major coalitions.

Politicians and business people alike have taken the debate a notch high reminiscent of the 2017 electioneering period when the SGR freight service was introduced.