THE STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY (SGR) A MENACE TO THE MOMBASA ECONOMY

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The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is a Kenyan railway connecting the great Indian Ocean from Mombasa County to Nairobi County. SGR runs parallel to the narrow – gauge Uganda Railway that was completed in 1901 under the British Colonial Rule. Though the SGR is modernized and of high class compared to the narrow – gauge Uganda Railway, it is like a two sided sword which cuts from both sides and it is due to this that it has been a menace to the Mombasa economy.

Studies show that long – distance trucks and transport related businesses such as fueling and service station were mostly affected by the SGR. Over eight thousand people directly employed in the Container Freight Stations (CFSs) as truck drivers, clearing and forwarding agents and suppliers are staring at possible losses while 60% of employees working in the CFSs were sacked.

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In the past one year, 2,987 employees working in the CFSs, trucks and fuel stations have been laid off due to the introduction of SGR freight trains and the order by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) that all imported cargo from the port of Mombasa to Nairobi and other hinterlands be transported by the SGR.

Due to employees being sacked from CFSs and the transport sector, it led to the increased cases of house rent defaulters and also increased cases of physiological related issues and break up of societal bonds especially to the high rate of job loss and unemployment among youth which has led to the experienced perennial insecurity problems in the county.

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With this, it is evident that the SGR brought more harm than good to the Mombasa economy especially to those working at the port and CFSs since they were greatly and directly affected.

BY BRIAN MRIRA

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