Why revamped Nakuru-Kisumu rail line is more than nostalgia

The Industrial Area in Nakuru is characterised by abandoned go-downs and buildings, decrepit assets, immobile vehicles and tall grasses around buildings which are now used as livestock’s grazing fields.

Deserted roads in the once busy area are full of potholes. 

Fences and building belonging to some companies such as Kenya Railways, C.K Patel, Mining Corporation, Kenya National Trading Corporation, Unga Limited, Elliots Bakeries, Gohil Soap Factory ink-maker Mbuni, Elianto, Kenya Co-operative Creameries and Kenya Planters and Co-operative Union have been vandalised. Some buildings are even housing street families.

However, the hope for the revival of these industries or at least three quarters of them lies in the rehabilitation of the railway line between Nakuru and Kisumu at the cost of Sh3.7 billion. 

And this is nigh. Already, the Kenya Defence Forces, KDF has initiated rehabilitation of the railways, with National Youth Service personnel being behind the clearing of bushes along the 217 kilometre line and other manual jobs.

Revamp of the 100-year-old metre gauge that collapsed 25 years ago gives hope to farmers, businessmen, manufactures and travellers that the cost of transport will finally be manageable. Most have been using trucks to transport goods.

Andrew Yatich recalls how a cargo engine would pass through the horticultural farms in Naivasha, penetrate through the wheat and barley farms in Gilgil before meandering into the sisal plantations in the semi-arid Rongai as it transported goods, then roar into the potato farms in Molo as it pierced through the bushy tea plantations in Kuresoi and Londiani on its way to Kisumu.

Nakuru being a transit town had turned into a hub of agricultural activities courtesy of the railway transport.

Serious ramification

“These industries formed the backbone of Nakuru’s economy. They thrived so well because transportation was convenient,” he said.

Its collapse had serious ramification on the region’s economy. At least 39 companies and corporations halted operations in Nakuru alone since 1995.  

Death of these firms rendered over 500,000 million residents of the city status-hopeful Rift Valley town jobless and most of them are languishing in poverty, living in slums and mud houses. 

The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) estimates that currently, Nakuru County has an unemployment burden of 675, 000 youth in their productive ages.

Mr Yatich who is now a director at KFA, Mr Yatich says a number of go downs have closed and farm owners decided to engage in different activities.

When assessing the rehabilitation works in Nakuru, Defense Chief Administrative Secretary Peter Odoyo said the project will take a maximum of eight months to complete

“We want to ensure that businesses that depended on this railway line come back to life. Our main work here will involve geometry and drainage correction, track renewal, ballasting, bridge and viaduct repairs, culverts construction and rehabilitation of the old station buildings among other jobs,” said Mr Odoyo.

According to Mr Odoyo, the government embarked on the rehabilitation of the railway line to be a supporting infrastructure for the newly constructed Kisumu port.

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Kenya railways upbeat over move

Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga says revamping of the metre-gauge railway, which had been neglected for over two decades, followed a presidential directive aimed at stimulating the economy along the rail route.

Kenya Railways Rift Valley regional civil engineer Veronica Ngugi said the railway line once complete will offer both cargo and passenger travel services.

The government let go of its plan to extend the standard gauge railway to Kisumu and later on to the Ugandan border, following the East African country failure to secure a multi-billion shilling loan from China, which funded the first and second phases of the project.

The rehabilitation gives hopes to former employees of the railways firm and industries that fell as the railways was halting. They include Walter Onyango who worked as a civil engineer and was retrenched in 2008 after being transferred to the Rift Valley Railways.

“We were told that company was doing badly and could not support a huge number of staff so some of us had to be relieved of our duties,” said Mr Onyango
With the fall of the railway line, other properties belonging to the Kenya Railways have been vandalised. Some properties including land were leased to private individuals.

Now, Kenya Railways says it has already started the process of reclaiming lands that had been leased to private individuals

Mr Patrick Nzomo,  Kenya Railways estate manager, said there was an agreement between the firm and tenants that the leased land would be reclaimed when the need arises. 

“The land is now needed for the purposes of rehabilitation of the railway and have begun reclaiming it. We have also ordered those undertaking cultivation to stop immediately and surrender the land to us,” said Mr Nzomo.

Mr Kamau Njuguna, director chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture in East Africa notes that the country stands to benefit a great deal with the revival of the economy. According to him, the railway line is one of the key things that will revamp the country’s economy.