Transport CS Paul Mwangi addresses the press at the port of Mombasa on Monday May 15.He revealed that the new SGR trains travelling costs will be relatively cheaper and affordable to all Kenyans.[Photo/NTV Facebook page]
The Ministry of Transport has called for calm ahead of the Standard Gauge Railway start of operation maintaining that despite being new, the train fares will be fair and affordable to every Kenyan.
According to transport Principal Secretary Paul Mwangi while addressing members of the Press at the port of Mombasa Monday,the ministry is in the process of coming up with the right price list deemed to be fair and affordable to all Kenyans maintaining that the government's motive behind the construction of the rail was to have it act as a substitute for the rising cost of transport.
''We have a team that is assessing the trains fares to ensure that it is affordable to all Kenyans.Kenyans should not be scared because the government is committed to ensuring that the fairs are low enough and pocket-friendly to all of them because the motive behind bringing this project was to subsitute the rising transport charges,'' said the PS.
Mwangi further revealed that the charges will be cheaper than that of some buses saying that the government in collaboration with the Rift Valley Railways are also putting into place measures to ensure that the trains are worth Kenyans' money and that they can feel proud riding in them.
''We want to ensure that the traveling charges are comparative to that of some of our buses. They are going to be even lower because we want it to be worthy while,'' said Mr Mwangi who also revealed that the process is nearing the end and the actual fares will be announced in the next two weeks.
This follows a successful passenger train inaugural test run where the train moved from Nairobi to Mombasa a 472 km distance traveling at a speed 100 km per hour on March 8 with the CS now maintaining that the multi-billion shilling project is now ready for use.