Kenya Railways on Monday, July 11, issued a warning against rogue entities using the rail lines across the country for non-rail machinery.
In a statement, the authority singled out aircraft and drone use noting that it had noticed an increase in the activities over the recent weeks.
Kenya Railways reiterated that the lines were solely a property of the organisation and it was the only entity legally allowed to conduct business on them.
"Over the recent past, we have noted with concern, the use of our railway lines and reserves, for activities involving non-rail machinery including aircraft and drones.
"We wish to reiterate that it is illegal to engage in any kind of activities or transact any kind of business on the railway lines or reserves throughout the country. Further, railway lines and reserves are solely reserved for railway operations and are out of bounds to unauthorized members of the public," read the statement in part.
For years, the corporation has been fending off land grabbers and squatters who in turn destroy the infrastructure it laid down across the country.
In the latest contest, Kenya Railways is fighting to reclaim its land valued at Ksh15 billion which cartels have reportedly invaded.
According to Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu, some of the cartels had already partitioned the parcels and sold them to unsuspecting buyers
“As reported previously, various parcels of land were allocated by third parties without the consent of the Corporation by either the Commissioner of Lands or the defunct local authorities,” noted Gathungu in her audit of the financial year ending June 2020.
In 2021, the corporation also successfully carried out the rehabilitation of the Nakuru-Kisumu railway line which had remained idle for several years - in an effort to make it financially viable.
The exercise cost Kenya Railways more than Ksh3.7 billion and involved driving grabbers and squatters out of the land.
According to the Kenya Railways Corporation Act, any individual found carrying out unauthorised activities on the rail line risks a jail term not exceeding 10 years.
The illegal activities include obstructing the working of a train or vehicle of the Corporation which endangers or might endanger the life of any person or interfering with any train, vehicle, signal, rails, sleeper, beacon or other property of the Corporation.
