As Kenya marks six years since the launch of passenger services on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), one of the brightest spots is the massive skills transfer that has been achieved through the project.
Such has been the success of the regulator Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) and the service operator Africa Star Railways Operations Company (Afristar) in delivering on this objective, that in the not-too-distant future, 100 per cent of all operational aspects will have been migrated to KRC.
Already, a portion of the operations is being executed by the KRC. These include ticketing, security, maintenance information systems, buildings and infrastructure repairs. Afristar still maintains the locomotive engines and the coaches.
Just as the deployment of 40 per cent Kenyan content was a key clause in the agreement between KRC and the SGR operator, skills transfer is a major component of the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) contract. This is to ensure Kenyans will have the requisite capacity to operate and maintain the service even after their Chinese counterparts leave.
As at the end of last month, Afristar had 643 Kenyan employees. This is besides the 1,158 who have completed the technology transfer training. China Road and Bridge Corporation has so far sent 98 Kenyans to China for training under the Kenya Railways Operations Management Seminar conducted at Beijing Jiaotong University. The beneficiaries of this programme are now hands-on professionals in handling modern railway operations.
This programme has been running consistently since the SGR service was launched in 2017. For instance, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 110 Kenyans (65 at Beijing Jiaotong University and 45 at Southwest Jiaotong University) completed their training courses online.
Most importantly, Afristar’s on-the-job training programme has been complemented by study tours to China.
Besides the increasing number of Kenyans in leadership positions at Afristar, preparedness for a 100 per cent local takeover of operations has been achieved through technical skills transfer in 123 areas of specialisation in railway management.
The KRC is also engaging local institutions of higher learning and technical colleges to consider partnering with foreign universities for the integration of railway engineering courses into their curricula, ensuring Kenya has a steady pool of competent personnel to run the SGR in future.
The corporation has also embarked on a deliberate plan to narrow the gender gap by initiating affirmative action in job placement. The SGR service now has seven women locomotive drivers.
Further, KRC and Afristar have been holding an annual Technical Skills Transfer Awards ceremony.
The good bilateral relations between Kenya and China have played a major part in ensuring that the skills transfer programme runs seamlessly.
