Kenya Railways has suspended freight trains from Mombasa following landslides in sections of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
In a statement on Saturday, November 18, 2023, Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga said that they had experienced landslides on the SGR line between Mombasa Terminus and Mariakani.
“Regrettably, we must inform you that there has been an unexpected delay in the evacuation of cargo from Mombasa and Nairobi and delivery of cargo into the Port of Mombasa owing to the heavy rains experienced in Mombasa over the last few days, which have resulted into flooding, wash-aways and landslides in various sections of our rail network. Consequently, this has affected normal train operations, including cargo transfers, loading as well as offloading activities at the Port of Mombasa,” Mainga said.
“A section of the SGR corridor between Mombasa Terminus and Mariakani has experienced a landslide which has resulted in the closure of the section for all freight trains.”
Passenger trains are still using the railway line and close supervision and limited speeds along the affected areas.
“We are, however, allowing passenger trains to pass through the section, under limited speed restrictions and strict supervision. Consequently, these safety measures have also occasioned delays in the departure and arrival of passenger trains at Mombasa Termini,” Mainga said.
“Kenya Railways would like to assure our esteemed customers that works are already ongoing to restore normal services as soon as possible. Our emergency plan has also been enhanced to respond to any issues arising from the acts of mother nature, as fast as possible, while ensuring safety is not compromised.”
The country has been experiencing heavy rainfall in the past few weeks, which has resulted in floods in some counties especially those in low lands like the coastal region.
“We would like to affirm that safety and reliability remain at the core of our operations. We understand the importance of ensuring that our passengers arrive and depart on schedule and that cargo is delivered safely and on time. We remain committed to keeping you updated throughout this process,” he added.
