His blindness and ignorance to all facts laid down time and again is just amazing! I'm literally liking the way this guy argues, it's as if his server hides some info on each post.
New rail route into Nairobi park to cut compensation bill
Workers construct a bridge for the standard gauge railway in a section of Tsavo National Park. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE
In Summary
- Kenya Railways says the current route will require taking over multiple residential and industrial land which will cost it huge sums in compensation.
- The corporation intends to look for an alternative piece of land to compensate for the loss of the wildlife habitat.
- About Sh10 billion has been set aside to compensate those displaced by the 471-km railway which is set to cut freight costs to eight US cents (Sh7.80) a metric tonne per kilometre from the current 20 cents (Sh19.60).
Kenya Railways plans to carve out 216 acres from Nairobi National Park for the standard gauge railway (SGR) line to avoid a huge compensation bill for industries and residential estates in Mlolongo and Athi River.
The idea to take over 0.75 per cent of the park, which has been termed critical, was mooted by the National Land Commission (NLC) after it was established that there is no money to compensate high-value properties affected by the current route.
The corporation intends to look for an alternative piece of land to compensate for the loss of the wildlife habitat.
A similar move by the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha), which wants to excise 89 acres from the park for the Southern bypass, has received strong opposition from environmentalists concerned over wildlife disruption.
Kenya Railways has said that the current route will require taking over multiple residential and industrial land which will cost it huge sums in compensation.
In a new supplementary environmental impact report for the proposed 11.6 kilometre stretch, the corporation says the change in the rail route will also help the line avoid too many curves which will affect train speeds.
“The section of the SGR between chainage DK453+100 to DK465+455 within Athi River and Nairobi National Park areas requires to be realigned mainly to avoid demolishing culturally significant developments and economical high value installations that will require heavy compensation, and to make it more economical to construct the railway line,” the report says.
READ:
Talks to extend new railway to Naivasha begin
About Sh10 billion has been set aside to compensate those displaced by the 471-km railway which is set to cut freight costs to eight US cents (Sh7.80) a metric tonne per kilometre from the current 20 cents (Sh19.60).
Kenya Railways has said that if the route is not changed, multiple industries and residential properties will be affected. These include
Bamburi Cement, Devki Steel Mills, Athi River Steel Plant, Kapa Oil Refineries, Orbit Chemicals, Muthama Heights Estate, Kenya Meat Commission, ISL Kenya and Murumbi African Heritage House, among others.
In August 2014, the corporation and the NLC had been allowed to excise 19.2 acres from the park.
While only half of the 216 acres will be used for the actual rail, the other half will be cut off from the park making it unusable for the animals.
“The total area of wildlife habitat to be lost through this proposed realignment as land use will be about 46.7 hectares (115.4 acres) and 40.6 hectares (100.3) will be left or fragmented from the rest of the park and left of little or no utility for wildlife,” the report says.
It further says that a public consultation saw 88 per cent of the respondents support the project with only 12 per cent opposed.
The 117 square kilometre Nairobi National Park, which was gazetted in 1946, continues to be hemmed in by human developments and risks being turned into a giant zoo, according to conservationists.
It has also suffered from poaching. The SGR report acknowledges that construction of the stretch might further increase the menace.
“The proposed realignment of the SGR within the Nairobi National Park is likely to lead to increased trophy and bush meat poaching,” it says.
The railway will stretch from Mombasa to Nairobi and is expected to cut freight and passenger costs. It is also expected to improve speeds to 120 kilometres per hour for passenger trains and 80 kilometres per hour for cargo trains.
State House on Tuesday said that Kenya had started talks with the Chinese contractor building the railway to extend the line to Naivasha from 2017. The extension, by 120 kilometres, will link special industrial zones that would be established in Naivasha, Nairobi and Mombasa.
New rail route into Nairobi park to cut compensation bill
Kenya to sink Sh10bn into land for new railway
Compulsory acquisition of land for the first phase of the standard gauge railway line from Mombasa to Nairobi will cost Sh10 billion.
Monday June 16 2014
Infrastructure and Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau. PHOTO | FILE
In Summary
- The cash is part of the proceeds from a fund into which importers pay one per cent of value of goods
- Eleven thousand acres will be compulsorily acquired from individuals and government agencies along the 609-kilometre Nairobi-Mombasa stretch.
Compulsory acquisition of land for the first phase of the standard gauge railway line from Mombasa to Nairobi will cost Sh10 billion.
The money is part of proceeds of the Railway Development Fund (RDF) introduced by the government in December 2012.
Importers and exporters contribute one per cent of the total value of their products to the fund, which has so far raised Sh22.9 billion.
“We have paid about Sh6.6 billion of the Sh10 billion we need for land acquisition. We are also using the money for the commuter rail. RDF continues throughout the life of the project,” Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau said.
Eleven thousand acres will be compulsorily acquired from individuals and government agencies along the 609-kilometre Nairobi-Mombasa stretch.
Eight counties — Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita-Taveta, Makueni, Kajiado, Machakos and Nairobi — will be affected by the major infrastructure project.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Mr Kamau spoke Monday during the standard gauge railway symposium, convened to highlight the business opportunities arising from the project’s implementation process.
The minister promised timely delivery of the project.
“I am instructed to complete the project by June 1, 2017. The project will be delivered in 35 months and two weeks’ time,” Mr Kamau said.
The idea is for the first train to pull out of Mombasa on June 1, 2017 — Madaraka Day.
The project's contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), has entered into an agreement with the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) — the government’s implementing agency — to set aside 40 per cent of the civil and related works for Kenyan firms.
“CRBC has no room or opportunity or luxury for poor workmanship. We do not want middlemen,” Mr Kamau said.
“We want the contractor to incorporate 40 per cent of local private sector within the project’s works from firms that meet quality standards and who will deliver on time,” the minister added.
Kenya to sink Sh10bn into land for new railway
High Court halts standard gauge railway project in land compensation case
Justice Charles Kariuki suspended the project after hearing an application by Kibwezi MP Patrick Musimba.
Thursday October 23 2014
A section of the standard gauge railway line launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in Changamwe on April 10, 2014. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
- Kibwezi residents were not compensated for land acquired by the government for the project.
- Ms Kilonzo said proper acquisition of the land should be done and residents ought to be compensated.
Advertisement
By RICHARD MUNGUTI
More by this Author
The High Court on Thursday stopped the construction of the Sh327 billion Mombasa-Nairobi railway line until a case filed by Kibwezi MP Patrick Musimba is heard and determined.
Justice Charles Kariuki suspended the project for 14 days after hearing an application by the MP.
Through lawyer Kethi Kilonzo, Mr Musimba said Kibwezi residents were not compensated for land acquired by the government for the project.
Ms Kilonzo told the court that residents were not properly compensated for land compulsorily acquired by the government for the project.
She said the residents were not given notice before the take-over, as required by the law.
The lawyer said residents will suffer economically as the land will be fenced off with a perimeter wall and thus inhibit their movement and that of their livestock to grazing fields.
PROPER ACQUISITION
Ms Kilonzo said proper acquisition of the land should be done and residents ought to be compensated.
Justice Kariuki ordered the case to be heard on November 6.
In the case, the MP has sued the National Land Commission, the Kenya Railway Corporation and the Attorney-General, while China Roads and Bridges Corporation has been named as an interested party.
The Sh327 billion project was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in April.
Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau had said compulsory acquisition of land for the first phase of the standard gauge railway line from Mombasa to Nairobi will cost Sh10 billion.
He had said 11,000 acres will be compulsorily acquired from individuals and government agencies along the 609-kilometre Nairobi-Mombasa stretch.
www.nation.co.ke/news/Court-stops-standard-gauge-railway-project/-/1056/2496470/-/em32u9/-/index.html+&cd=2&hl=de&ct=clnk&gl=de
MY TAKE
Where is the report saying the compensation money was paid by Chinese loan? Muache ujinga! Mchina kawagonga kwelikweli...yaani 2100 km $7.6 bln wakati 500 km Mombasa-Nairobi $3.6 bln! BTW btn Mombasa and Nairobi there is no rift valley! Rift valley is around Rift Valley Province! bwahahaahaha
nomasana, sam999, NairobiWalker, hbuyosh, msemakweli, simplemind, Kimweri, Bulldog, MK254, Kafrican, Ngongo, Ab_Titchaz, mtanganyika mpya, JokaKuu, Ngongo, Askari Kanzu, Dhuks, Yule-Msee, waltham, Mzee, mombasite gabriel, Juakali1980, Boda254, mwaswast, MwendaOmo,
Iconoclastes, oneflash, Kambalanick, 1 Africa, saadeque, burukenge, nyangau mkenya, Teen-Upperhill Nairobi, kadoda11, Livale
