Kenya Railways has suspended the 10pm Madaraka Express passenger train from Mombasa to Nairobi.
The Authority revealed in a notice that the suspension of the service was due to a technical issue.
"We regret to notify members of the public that due to technical issues, the Madaraka Express 10pm passenger train from Mombasa to Nairobi has been suspended," the notice on Sunday evening read.
Kenya Railways further revealed that despite the inconvenience, the technical issue prompted them to prioritise the safety of the passengers.
"Kenya Railways prioritises the safety of our passengers. We apologise for any inconvenience caused," the statement, signed by the Managing Director Philip Mainga, added.
Kenya Railways, however, did not specify the particulars of the technical issue.
The notice has since led to a spate of online criticism from a section of Kenyans, who went on X, formerly Twitter, to lament the ill-timing of the suspension of services.
"I'm on my way to this train, and this is how you notify customers? You have our numbers; why not send a blast sms? What is the solution—are we being rescheduled for the next train?" One customer asked.
"Just sad. Leaving hundreds of youths stranded, some with nowhere to go, risking their lives, just to ensure they don't make it to Saba Saba," another added.
Incidentally, Kenya Railways' announcement coincided with an incident in which hundreds of youth who attended the Diani Summer Tide Festival were allegedly stopped by authorities at the Dongo-Kundu bypass near Likoni, Mombasa.
Human Rights activist Hussein Khalid revealed earlier on Sunday that the youth had been blocked from proceeding to catch the 2pm Standard Gauge Railway train back to Nairobi, with authorities allegedly citing concerns that the youth planned to attend the planned Saba Saba protests on Monday, July 7, 2025.
Khalid denounced the action as "absolute madness," highlighting that the freedom movement is a constitutional guarantee. "Now police want to dictate to Kenyans where to go and where not to?" he mused.
On June 25, Kenya Railways also announced a similar suspension of commuter train services in Nairobi and its environs as the protests descended into chaos.
