Photo of KDF rehabilitating Nakuru-Kisumu railway gets Kenyans talking
By Amina WakoKenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers on Sunday shared pictures of the Nakuru-Kisumu Railway that is being rehabilitated.
The pictures showed the military officers at work rehabilitating the 220-kilometre with the caption, “The Nakuru – Kisumu Railway line is on course. #Stay positive, #Restore/fix that which is broken in 2021!”
The Nakuru – Kisumu Railway line is on course. #Stay positive,#Restore/fix that which is broken in 2021! pic.twitter.com/TYUWtoTa5b
— Kenya Defence Forces (@kdfinfo) January 10, 2021
Kenyans on social media had divergent opinions on the Twitter post with some congratulating KDF for the good work while others questioned why the country spent billions of shillings on construction of the Standard Gauge Railway for work the military would have done.
Here is what some Kenyans on Twitter had to say:
We borrowed over half a trillion shillings to build SGR from Nairobi to Naivasha when KDF would have rehabilitated the old Mombasa to Malaba line at a much lower cost to do the same job.
— Mike Musa (@MusaMMike) January 10, 2021
This is good work! We have capable civil and structural engineers. Why we have to give even simple jobs like this to the Chinese I will never understand. Once it's done I'm gonna hop onto a train to Kisumu. Thank you guys!
— Jared Ngesa (@jaredngesa) January 10, 2021
President Uhuru @StateHouseKenya should direct KDF Engineering Brigade to build remaining part of SGR, connecting Mahi Mau to Busia. It's possible. KDF Expertise can be fused with both local/int'l Supervisory Engineers. Motivate the soldiers to deliver. #KDFDelivers
— Obar Mark (@Obar_Mark) January 11, 2021
Why do we, with All Civil and Structural Engineers, Architects we have in Kenya, and the Disciplined Forces, have to Engage Foreigners to do Simple works as Raik, Road and Building Construction Works???
— WgaWe?? (@wwega2) January 11, 2021
The million dollar question is, why are the Chinese constructing the SGR yet we have the capacity to build it ourselves (thru you!)
— Danson Maina (@Githumbimaina) January 10, 2021
The rehabilitation project that is expected to cost Sh3.8 billion is being undertaken by Kenya Railways Corporation in collaboration with Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) and National youth Service (NYS).
The team started the work in August 2020 with one team starting from Nakuru to Kisumu (125 kilometres) and the other set to commence from Kisumu to Nakuru (95 kilometres).
The project is expected to be completed at Fort-Tenon in Muhoroni subcounty of Kisumu. The old railway line has been dormant for 25 years.