Experts have questioned the rationale for the dry port, with the extension of the SGR from Naivasha to Malaba uncertain.

Kenya spent Sh150 billion on Phase 2A of the SGR project but is yet to secure funding to extend the railway line to Kisumu, then to Malaba border.

In April, Uhuru went to China, hoping to secure $3.6 billion but the Asian giant declined, citing lack of feasibility. It asked Kenya to negotiate with Uganda.

The country, however, secured $400 million (Sh40 billion) to rehabilitate the 120-year-old railway line to Uganda.

Transport CS Macharia on May 7 said Kenya Railways directed cargo freights from Mombasa to the Naivasha Inland Container Depot for onward transportation to neighbouring countries.

Macharia said the move would boost the movement of goods in the region, which has been hard hit by partial lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of trucks operating across the borders has decreased.

The inaugural freight via the standard gauge railway arrived in Mombasa late last week and was received by Macharia accompanied by top officials from the Kenya Ports Authority and the Kenya Railways Corporation.

Most of the cargo is destined to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kenya Railways MD Phillip Mainga said the corporation would have two initial daily trains hauling up to 108 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUS) and a minimum of 70 TEUS.

Naivasha ICD can hold two million tonnes annually and is intended to reduce congestion at the Nairobi ICD and Mombasa port, cut the number of trucks on the roads and facilitate seamless trans-shipment of goods to neighbouring countries.

Uganda cargo commands more than 80 per cent of the regional transit traffic through the Mombasa port.

Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda have imposed tough restrictive measures on Kenyan truck drivers.

A number of Covid-19 cases in Uganda are of truck drivers who crossed the border from Kenya.

The Naivasha ICD houses all government agencies involved in the handling of cargo and revenue officers from the partner states of Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Source: The Star

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