China-built Mombasa-Nairobi railway promotes Kenya growth

(ECNS) -- Data released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics show that the revenue from the Mombasa-Nairobi railway, built by Chinese enterprises, reached KES 15.3 billion (0.11 billion) last year. Both passenger and freight volumes have steadily increased, continuing to play a positive role in the economic and social development of Kenya.

According to data, 2022 was the first year that its annual revenue exceeded KES 15 billion since the opening of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway in 2017. Passenger volume increased from 1.98 million in 2021 to 2.39 million in 2022, and passenger service revenue reached KES 2.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 18 percent.

"Because of the safety, comfort and speed of the passenger trains, and because we always observe our timing, the (passenger) number has increased to 2.4 million," said Sammy Gachuhi, deputy general manager at the rail operating company.

In addition to passenger volume, freight volume of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway in 2022 also increased from 5.4 million tons in 2021 to 6 million tons, with freight service revenue increasing by KES 500 million year-on-year.

The safe, punctual, and affordable freight services have won the favor of many transportation industry players. The Mombasa-Nairobi railway not only provides convenient and fast options for travel and logistics transportation but also drives the rapid development of local tourism and towns along the line.

The towns where the trains stop have achieved growth, Sammy Gachuhi said, adding that Voi, an upcoming tourism town, has seen increasing number of tourists with the introduction of a station there, and thus the economy and the hotel industry has really improved.

" That is brought by the cooperation between China and Kenya," he said.

As one of the important achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Mombasa-Nairobi railway is the largest infrastructure project in Kenya since independence. It is a modern railway built using Chinese standards, technology, and equipment and has made a huge contribution to Kenya's social and economic development. It has become a model project for China-Africa cooperation and witnessed the deep and sincere friendship between China and Africa, reported CCTV.