Kenya Transportation: Second line of Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway opens

World
Europe

In Kenya, the second line of the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway has opened to passengers. High-profile dignitaries from both countries were at the launch. They've praised the advances Kenya has made with the support of its Chinese counterparts. CGTN's Alexandria Majalla was at the ceremony and filed this report.

China's ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa and the country's transport and infrastructure cabinet secretary, James Macharia presided over a small but colorful ceremony to mark the launch of the second line.

ALEXANDRIA MAJALLA SYOKIMAU, KENYA 122 years later after Kenya first built its railway infrastructure came the standard gauge railway. And now 153 days into operations the second line was launched. In that time 420,000 passengers have been ferried between Nairobi and Mombasa. An indication that this project was not only much needed but well received.

The second line has seven stops on the route between Nairobi and Mombasa. And it's set to double the average number of passengers from 2-thousand 7-hundred to 5-thousand 4-hundred a day. The project has created thousands of jobs for locals, assisting with skills development. However there are also other benefits.

JOHN MACHARIA TRANSPORT CABINET SECRETARY, KENYA "This project has boosted local tourism. It is full of local tourists. That's why when globally tourism is challenged, for us it's not a problem. Filling up the bed in Mombasa, because for example occupancy has increased from 50 to 80 percent, because of this road."

Officials say they've just scratched the surface. The SGR is set to launch freight services in the next month. Businesses will pay 500 dollars per container to ship goods inland Currently it costs 850 dollars a container by road.

JOHN MACHARIA TRANSPORT CABINET SECRETARY, KENYA "In terms of cost of transport, this is done as well. As you are aware very soon, we'll introduce the freight service starting in a month time."

The line also has a role to play in China's ambitious One Belt, One Road initiative.

LIU XIANFA CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO KENYA "From the very beginning significant role in facility in development of Kenya and realization of region, speeding up the industrialization process of Kenya and the region, promoting the B&R Initiative strategies of Kenya and other countries."

Eventually, the Standard Gauge Railway line will connect several countries in East Africa -- as Uganda and Rwanda are also jumping on the bandwagon. One day it's hoped the project will have routes to central and West Africa, linking African states in a continent-wide network. AM, CGTN.