Mike Sonko Nairobi Governor(centre) with other Jubilee leaders.[Photo/standardmedia.co.ke]
Eight Jubilee Party governors have pledged to contribute Sh100 Million each to President Uhuru's government to fund a Sh25 Billion railway project countrywide.
The eight governors include Anne Waiguru(Kirinyaga County),Francis Kimemia(Nyandarua County),Mohammed Abdi Kuti(Isiolo county),Ferdinand Wautitu(Kiambu county),Mwangi Wa Iria(Muranga county),Gakuru Wahome(Nyeri county),Ndiritu Muriithi ( Laikipia county),Mike Sonko(Nairobi county).
The governors and Kenya Railways Administration attended the meeting venue at Maiyan Resort in Nanyuki.
Kenya Railways Managing Director Atanas Maina, stated that the project would involve the renovation of a 240-kilometer line railway from Nairobi to Nanyuki .
He added that the fund would be used in upgrading the track and buying new locomotives as well as the wagons.
“The Sh100 Million pledged by the county governments is a show of commitment to the project. The national government is expected to finance the project, with support from development partners,” Maina stated.
“Currently, the railway is what we call the 50-pound-load type, which is only capable of carrying three light locomotives. We intend to upgrade it to 80-pound load so that a single train can carry 1,400 tonnes of goods,” Maina added.
The governors later raised a plan to extend the railway to Isiolo town so that it links Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport ((LAPSSET) corridor.
This railway project will improve the standards of the Central region by creating employment and improving infrastructure.