The Africa Star Railway Operations Company, a Chinese firm behind Standard Gauge Railway operations, has disclosed that Kenyans will be in charge of the operations fully from next year.
The firm, a subsidiary of the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), has maintained that on May 2022, full operations will be under the jurisdiction of Kenya Railways.
On the other hand, Kenya Railways Corporation has ensured that its operators have undergone systemic integration from the Chinese firm to ensure everything will run smoothly once operations have been handed over.
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"I am confident of localising the operations and management of SGR due to the organised systematic training that has empowered Kenyans to accomplish duties independently," the firm remarked.
Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga stated that the transition of operations would see more locals brought on board, increasing the number from 2,000 Kenyans currently employed.
One of the SGR captains remarked on how the skills learned from his counterpart will ease the SGR operations during the transition phase.
"I have independently driven the locomotive for over 140,000 kilometers," he remarked.
The announcement came a day after, Kenya Railways announced that its Nairobi-Kisumu trains would be fully operational day and night effectively in December.
Mainga pointed that it would provide seamless travel from Mombasa to Kisumu after it the construction of the tracks was linked to SGR at Naivasha.
“All is set and we must have a passenger train on the refurbished line Kisumu this December. It will operate days and night,” Mainga added.
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