We must be assured the gauge rail will benefit all

By Editorial

By fastening first nuts of the Mombasa-Kampala-Kigali-Juba standard gauge railway line, President Uhuru Kenyatta might have unlocked East Africa’s largest infrastructure plan. It is estimated to cost Sh1.2 trillion. Costing Kenyan taxpayers a cool Sh223.6 billion, it is also Kenya’s single largest project. Hence, the standard gauge rail kicks off amid huge expectations, though tempered by several concerns, which must not be swept under the carpet.

Already, the High Court has allowed the Dock Workers Union to challenge government’s decision to singe-source and award the tender to China Road and Bridge Corporation.

This is a matter for the court to decide. The Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan railway line is expected to cut transport costs by up to 60 per cent after its completion scheduled for 2018. This is tremendous also considering the ability to decongest Mombasa Port and the attendant benefits of economic integration in the East African Community.

Besides making the region an attractive investment destination, the rail option will greatly reduce wear and tear on Kenyan roads, currently weighed down by thousands of heavy commercial trucks. It will also help reduce dozens of road crashes caused by the numerous lorries.

And therein comes another challenge. Truck owners and long distance drivers will certainly not be enthusiastic with the railway line.  President Kenyatta has pledged to personal supervision of its construction, putting his Jubilee government on the spot. He must therefore engage all stakeholders and assure a majority that the railway line is for the region’s future prosperity.