SGR passenger train services to resume
By Hilary KimuyuKenya Railways Corporation on Monday announced that their standard gauge railway passenger train services will resume following the lifting of a partial lockdown in Nairobi and Mombasa by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In a notice, the firm said that it will be releasing a new schedule for the train that shuttles between the two counties.
NEW SCHEDULE
“Following the lifting of cessation of movement order by President Kenyatta, we wish to inform the public that the Ministry of Transport and Kenya Railways in conjunction with the SGR operator Africa Star Railways Operation Ltd (Afristar) will be releasing a new operational schedule in due course,” the notice reads in part.
The company asked members of the public to be patient as it works on mechanisms to resume services.
After the suspension of the passenger services following the partial lockdown, Kenya Railways and Afristar have been offering only cargo services.
In April, President Kenyatta prohibited the movement of people into and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale following a surge of Covid-19 infections in what was aimed at stopping the respiratory disease in it tracks.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Public transport is one of the sectors that have taken a beating due to the stringent social distancing rules.
The Head of State, while addressing the nation on Monday asked members of the public to avoid non-essential travel outside of Nairobi, while also warning public transport vehicles against flouting the social distance rules.
“Conscious that movement of people is a catalyst for the spread of the disease, there shall be no movement of public transport vehicles into and out of the areas previously under cessation of movement restrictions, without the public transport providers being compliant with all protocols developed by Ministry of Health,” the president said.
The government also said operators will require mandatory certification from the Ministry of Health, in consultation with Ministry of Transport.