Murkomen: Uhuru's 'railway to nowhere' will extend to Uganda

Kipchumba Murkomen

Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. He had promised to make public the highly secretive SGR contract during his vetting, but the three documents he released to the public had no details of the collateral.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

The government will extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to Malaba into Uganda.

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen made the audience laugh when he said that the SGR line has terminated at a 'place in the bush' in Suswa area.

Mr Murkomen said there is a need for a modern railway to be moved from 'forest' to connect the busy Nakuru city.

"There is no need for the railway to be taken to the bush. We will take it to the city of Nakuru, Eldoret and then to Kisumu and thereafter connect it to Uganda," Mr Murkomen said.

Mr Murkomen was the official guest at the graduation ceremony for more than 1,000 graduates at the Kenya Training Institute (RTI) in South B, Starehe sub-county.

Also, Mr Murkomen officially opened a modern library in memory of the former managing director of the institution, the late Rahab Nyaga. In addition, Mr Murkomen launched the Strategic Plan 2022-2027 for RTI.

CS Murkomen instructed the Kenya Railways to hire those who the qualified graduands by giving them priority in the current job vacancies.

He promised that there are 5,000 jobs in the country's railway organization in various departments and added that the old wagons and coaches will be repaired, and others built.

“Old train carriages will be repaired and new ones will be sought to strengthen the transport sector in the country. In the 5,000 available jobs, give the first priority to those who have qualified and graduated today in this event," Mr Murkomen added.

He explained that the plan for the railway to be built to Kisumu is to improve transportation and reduce the congestion of people who use road transport instead of railway.

He added that the new and modern railway station in Nairobi has become a major attraction for many and added that it will contribute greatly to the growth of the national economy.

The event was graced by the Kenya prison band where the wardens entertained with music.

Among those who attended the event were -the Managing Director of RTI, Mrs. Milly Kiziili Otieno and the chairman of RTI, Prof engineer S.O Abuodha.  Present was the Managing Director Kenya Railways, Mr Philip Mainga and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Major General retired Pasta Awita.