Jomvu Member of Parliament (MP) Twalib Rashid, on Saturday, March 18, confirmed that a newly constructed public school would be demolished to pave the way for the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway.
Twalib stated that three structures in the school would be brought down before the construction of the railway line linking the Miritini Terminus to the Mombasa Central Business District (CBD) commences.
"Four buildings, each costing Ksh1.5 million, have been earmarked for demolition among other infrastructures such as water tanks.
"We have no otherwise but to rethink relocating the school since we cannot risk leaving children close to the rail as it's mandatory to have a way leave for the rail," he stated.
A rehabilitation centre where renowned boxer Conjestina Achieng was treated also faced closure, along with a 90-capacity dormitory and kitchen.
The institution's administrator Amina Abdalla lamented that the facility would be forced to transport patients to new accommodation facilities.
Twalib, however, poked holes at the compensation plan by the Kenya Railways Commission as the demolitions would also affect squatters settled on government land.
He argued that since they did not have title deeds, they would only be compensated for their houses, not the land. This would make it difficult for their resettlement.
Consequently, he wrote to Kenya Railways to consider their plight.
According to the firm, a metre-gauge railway would be constructed from Miritini, a new rail bridge crossing Makupa causeway with a length of 480 meters, a Miritini station complex building, and a steel overpassing Mombasa County.
Currently, passengers using the Madaraka Express train disembark at the Miritini terminus and are forced to seek other modes of transport to the CBD.
Passengers asked the rail transport firm to provide alternative means of transportation, citing high charges by matatus and taxis.
