Despite Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) taking over 98 per cent of operations on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), key functions remain under the management of the Chinese firm Africa Star Railway Operation Company (Afristar), delaying full local control until December 2025.
Kenya Railways had initially planned to complete the takeover by May 2022, later pushing the deadline to June 2025. However, CEO Philip Mainga confirmed that full operational control is now expected by the end of 2025, citing unresolved technical issues.
“People have been asking so many questions, and I can now confirm we have successfully taken over from the Chinese, reaching 98 per cent. By December 2025, we will be at 100 per cent,” Mainga said.
The lingering presence of Afristar highlights the challenges Kenya faces in fully managing the railway. Out of the 52 SGR operational functions, KRC had, by July 2024, assumed control of 47, including security, passenger services, rolling stock management, track maintenance, and partial signalling responsibilities.
However, Afristar still retains control over critical functions such as signalling system management, dispatch coordination, freight management, and operations at Port Reitz and Nairobi Terminus.
The Chinese firm was awarded a 10-year contract to operate and maintain the Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha railway, which runs for 592 kilometres. The continued involvement of Afristar suggests a strategic grip on key railway functions, even as Kenya moves towards complete autonomy.
Afristar was granted the rights to operate the SGR for the first ten years, with an interim review planned after five years. While many Kenyans were employed in various roles, critical positions such as dispatchers and locomotive drivers were predominantly held by Chinese workers during the initial years of operation.
This arrangement led to unease, and although a complete transfer was initially anticipated by 2027, subsequent negotiations expedited this process to May 2022.
By June 2021, the Kenya Railways Corporation had already taken over departments including ticketing, security, and refuelling.
Kenya’s struggle to fully take over the SGR has been compounded by technical gaps, particularly in locomotive safety. “We have a few technical skills, including the safety of the locomotives, that we need to address, but this will be completed by December 2025,” Mainga said.
The handover comes as the Madaraka Express faces a turbulent period. Between August and September 2024, passenger numbers decreased from 281,683 to 175,901, leading to a revenue drop from Ksh440.6 million to Ksh296.4 million.
This comes as the government indicates plans to extend the SGR to Malaba.
