The government through the Kenya Railways Corporation on Wednesday, January 22 started the repair works for the railway lines connecting Nairobi to several counties in the Mt Kenya region running all the way to Nanyuki in Laikipia County.
A report published by K24 Digital indicates that the railway is expected to be revamped at a cost of Ksh3 billion and it will take a period of five months to complete.
According to Laikipia governor Ndiritu Muriithi, the project will be undertaken in three stages in order to speed up the completion to have the railway line ready for transportation by the end of May 2020.
The governor further indicated that one group would be working on the Nanyuki-Marua section, a second group on the Marua-Sagana section while a third team will rehabilitate the Sagana-Thika stretch.
Muriithi also confirmed that repair work had already started at the Nanyuki terminus which is the last station on the line.
Teams from the National Youth Service (NYS) and technical experts from the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) were also mentioned to be a key stakeholder in ensuring the operationalisation of the railway line.
The project is set to benefit residents in the region through the transport of agricultural products to the city, a move that will expand their earning margins.
It is also expected to benefit the 11-million litre Petroleum depot in Nanyuki that was established and operated by Vivo Energy serving parts of eastern and northern Kenya.
In November 2017, governors from the region held a meeting where they announced plans to rehabilitate the dilapidated Nanyuki railway line in a step aimed at growing trade in the region.
The meeting brought together Governors Ndiritu Muriithi of Laikipia, Ferdinand Waititu of Kiambu, Mwangi wa Iria of Murang’s, Anne Waiguru of Kirinyaga and the late Wahome Gakuru of Nyeri.
Together, the county chiefs termed the revamping as a part of the blueprint that will manifest the economic potential of their specific counties and lead to economic growth in the region.
“We want to encourage all of us to take a different path and that path is of economic development and creating jobs,” remarked Ndiritu Muriithi.
