Kenya Railways implements interim cargo solution amid MGR rain damage

In response to the recent heavy rainfall that reportedly caused significant damage to the Uplands-Kijabe-Longonot Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) section, Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Roads, Kenya, conducted an on-site inspection on 31 May 2024.

Accompanied by Philip Mainga, Managing Director, Kenya Railways, and Mohamed Daghar, Principal Secretary for Transport, the team assessed the extent of the damage in Lari Constituency, Kiambu County, according to a social media post by Kenya Railways on Linkedin.

The inspection aimed to evaluate the impact of the above-normal rainfall on the railway infrastructure and to formulate a plan for its rehabilitation. The damaged railway sections have led to the temporary closure of the line, causing significant disruption in the movement of cargo bound for Western Kenya and other transit destinations.

To mitigate the impact of the closure, Kenya Railways has implemented an interim solution. Cargo is currently being loaded onto the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and then transshipped back to the MGR at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot (ICD). This allows for the continued movement of goods via the MGR despite the damaged sections.

“The temporary closure of the line has affected our operations, disrupting the movement of cargo bound for Western Kenya and transit destinations. As an interim solution, we are currently loading transit cargo onto the SGR and transshipping it back to the MGR at Naivasha ICD for onward movement via the MGR,” as mentioned in the LinkedIn post.