The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has announced that it is expanding its customer base to include cattle.
In a statement released on Sunday, May 23, the Corporation indicated that it had unveiled the service aimed at transporting cattle between Nanyuki and Nairobi.
KRC, while failing to reveal when the service would kick-off, also revealed that the new cattle wagon could handle 30 cows per trip.
"Kenya Railways is set to start transporting cattle via Nanyuki Line. One such cattle can accommodate up to 30 cows," read the statement in part.
Farmers based in Nanyuki had hailed the revival of the railway line whose process kicked off in 2020 noting that it would help connect them to the city.
They had noted that the railway provided a more secure transportation link as opposed to road transport which was prone to theft and accidents.
They also hoped that the grain wagon would be revived to provide wholistic transport solutions to all farmers in the region which is among Nairobi's most trusted food baskets.
The whole project to Nanyuki set back taxpayers Ksh3 billion.
During its construction, the state also expected that the cargo business would link Mombasa Port to Ethiopia in an attempt to boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
The cargo was to be transported from Mombasa to Nairobi via the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) where it would be taken to Moyale via the Nanyuki line.
“Kenya Transport and Logistics Network has conducted the viability study on the route and it has been found to be viable. We want to tap the potential that has been brought by the industrial activities at the Ethiopian border,” stated Kenya Ports Authority chairman Joseph Kibwana.
The cattle wagon adds on other services rolled by KRC including bus services across the city and trains connecting peripheral towns to Nairobi CBD.
