Uhuru’s ‘railway to nowhere’ remains closed days after launch as residents cry for help

A week after the Mai Mahiu SGR station was opened by President Uhuru Kenyatta it has remained closed and inaccessible much to the chagrin of travelers and local residents.

The situation has been worsened by ongoing rains and dilapidated road that connects the station to the nearby Mai Mahiu-Narok Road.

Residents have now called on the government to either pave or upgrade the access road to murram standard.

Addressing the press at the Mai Mahiu SGR station, Benson Mungai, a local leader, said passengers willing to travel to Nairobi from the station are being referred to Suswa station, which is 30km from Mai Mahiu town.

“We saw the train here on Saturday and Sunday, and it only dropped passengers while those wishing to board it are told to travel all the way to Suswa in Narok County,” Mungai said.

His sentiments were echoed by a local elder, Peter Ngigi, who said he parted with Sh600 to pay a boda boda rider to ferry him and his wife to the Mai Mahi SGR station.

At the SGR station, the elder said they were told there were no tickets and then referred to the Suswa station.

 “The President disputed reports that this railway was heading to nowhere and said it would assist residents access the capital city with ease but we don’t know what is the meaning of closing this station,” Ngigi said.

Another local resident, Freshia Njoki, called on the government to power the villages near the SGR station using the railway’s transformer.

“The station has a transformer that can be used to power four villages, and as the host community we ought to benefit from government projects near us,” she said.

But during Mashujaa Day celebrations, Nakuru County Commissioner Erastus Mbui promised that the road linking the Mai Mahiu SGR termins would be upgraded.

“Plans are underway to construct a road from the Mai Mahiu-Narok Road to the newly-opened SGR station in Mai Mahiu,” he said.