Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Maingi, on Thursday, May 4, clarified that khat, commonly known as miraa, is not allowed on the passenger commuter trains.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, he maintained that miraa is classified as a drug not allowed on commuter trains, including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
Defending the decision, Maingi noted that the directive was arrived at following consultations with relevant stakeholders in the transport sector.
"Commuter trains carry people, and we adhere to the ethical standards of drug abuse policies. This is because it is not private, but they offer public service," Maingi told Kenyans.co.ke.
His response came after a man was filmed confronting Kenya Railways officials after blocking him from boarding Nairobi- Mombasa SGR with miraa.
In the viral video, the aggrieved passenger lamented, indicating that he was blocked from boarding the train, yet he was not chewing the miraa that was in his luggage.
"Why is miraa not allowed to be transported to Mombasa by railway? I am not chewing while on board. They should clearly indicate if miraa is a drug!" he insisted.
Responding to his concerns, the Kenya Railways managing director insisted that miraa can only be ferried using cargo services.
"If you want to carry miraa, carry it as cargo in our cargo trains but not in our passenger trains," he insisted.
"We don't want to hurt miraa traders, but we are just doing that to maintain the standards of our locomotives. We will be very happy to serve them using our cargo trains," he added.
Additionally, Maingi noted that past cases of misbehaving in the SGR trains compelled the management to impose tough rules outlawing drugs from their coaches.
At the same time, Maingi implored passengers to observe decorum while engaging with Kenya Railways officials. He castigated the aggrieved passenger noting that he failed to handle the situation as required but turned it into a loud confrontation.
