Mandago calls for expansion of SGR to Northern corridor.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, EGH on Tuesday hosted the Kenya Railways Corporation management team that paid him a courtesy call.
The team was led by the corporation’s Board Chairman Maj Gen Rtd Pastor Awitta.
Speaking to the press after a closed-door meeting, Mandago revealed that they had discussed several issues among them plans by Kenya Railways to rehabilitate the railway line in the region.
Mandago further hinted that they had agreed on rehabilitation work of the Railway line will be given to local youths.
The County Boss also noted that an agreement had been reached for individuals who have encroached the Railway line in rural areas will be given time to harvest their crops.
“Eldoret town is among the major stations that we have along this corridor and a multi agency team has already been set up to look at how this line is going to be revitalized,” he said.
“We have agreed that the contractor who will be given the work is going to engage the youths across the area where the works will be going on from Ainabkoi, Kapng’etuny, Plateau Maili Nne all the way until the whole line is revitalized,” Mandago added.
He also expressed the need for the government to consider expanding the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to the northern corridor because of the volume of trade the region has with Uganda.
“As County Government we are ready to support this project until it becomes successful,” Mandago affirmed.
On his part, the Kenya Railways Corporation board Chair said the revitalization plan will begin from Longonot to Malaba.
Awita noted that the initiative seeks to reduce the time that cargo take while being transported by road from Mombasa to the neighboring countries.
“The idea is to rehabilitate this line to be able to get the trains run as they used to do before so that we can shorten the time of transporting cargo from Mombasa to Malaba and onwards to our neighboring countries of Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi,” he said.
During the visit, , Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno, CEC Eng Gideon Birir (Transport), CPA Julius Ruto (Finance) County Secretary Edwin Bett, Eldoret Municipality chairman Julius Kitur among other county government officials were also present.
