Kenya received 430 wagons from China to enhance freight operations on its railway network nationwide on Monday.

The batch includes 230 wagons designed for the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line and 200 wagons for the Meter Gauge Railway line.

When he flagged off the wagons at Mombasa Port, Ministry of Roads and Transport, Principal Secretary Mohamed Daghar said the wagons will boost cargo evacuation from the port of Mombasa and help alleviate road congestion.

“Given that Kenya’s economy is one of the fastest growing in the region, we are required to make strategic investments in the transport and logistics sector in order to ensure that movement of cargo is executed efficiently and effectively,” Daghar said.

 Further, he said that all the wagons have a capacity of 70 tonnes or higher, enabling the movement of heavy containerized cargo, which in turn reduces damage to the roads.

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On his part, Kenya Railways managing director Philip Mainga said that Kenya Railways freight division has engaged several clients on long-term freight agreements and has implemented plans to ensure that it offers a reliable, safe, and efficient service.

“In total, we are procuring 500 wagons which entails 300 wagons designed for operations on the Standard Gauge Railway line and 200 wagons designed for operations on the Meter Gauge Railway line,” Mainga said.

“The wagons are of various specifications to ensure that the cargo moved from the port of Mombasa is able to move all the way to Kampala through the standard gauge railway/meter gauge railway transshipment facility at Naivasha.”