President William Ruto launches the Riruta-Ngong railway in December 2023. Looking on is then Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and then Roads CS Kipchumba Murkomen. (on Dr Ruto's left).
Residents of Karen and Ngong have been met with a wall of silence as their concerns about the proposed 12.5-kilometre metre-gauge railway line, expected to connect Riruta to Ngong, remain unanswered.
Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) and the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) have remained mum even as the contractor lays the groundwork for the Sh8.7 billion line.
The project is expected to improve public transport in the capital city, with the government saying it is keen to decongest roads.
However, it has been met with resistance from the residents of Karen and Ngong, who cite environmental degradation, inadequate public participation and potential property devaluation as some of their concerns.
Locals say the railway line threatens the area’s tranquillity and ecological balance.
“I am opposed to this project because it cuts through my land,” said Mr David Oliwa.
“This is my only piece of land. I acquired it through toil, tears and sweat.”
Key roads
Mr Oliwa says he learnt about the compulsory acquisition of his land from a gazette notice.
“Nobody approached or consulted us. They never sought our opinion,” he added.
The commuter rail is to be built jointly by Apec Consortium and the China Railway Design Corporation.
The proposed path intersects with key roads and institutions, including Ngong Road and the Southern Bypass.
It cuts through Karen, a suburb known for a serene environment and homes belonging to some of the country’s wealthiest families. Locals and environment activists say it will destroy a rich outgrowth in Ngong forest.
The residents say the noise and congestion brought by the railway will interfere with the pristine environment of the neighbourhood.
“Hooting is the standard procedure for trains approaching a station. We have not heard anything on noise barriers. Who will entertain that?” asked Mr Mwangi Muturi, the Karen Lang’ata District Association (KLDA) Operations Manager.
With the railway, which will have elevated bridges in some sections, locals say the suburb would lose its bragging rights of seclusion and serenity.
“There will be invasion of people’s property and privacy,” Mr Mwangi added.
KLDA wrote to Nema on August 19, 2024, objecting the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment Study.
However, Nema did not respond to questions by the Daily Nation regarding concerns raised by the association.
Though the government has said in the past that it will upgrade railways in the country to SGR, some Kenyans question the rationale to build a metre-gauge line.
Traffic disruptions
According to the KLDA, the railway will lead to endless traffic disruptions, reduced road widths and compromised access to properties.
The residents have also raised concerns about the proximity of the railway to schools, hospitals and other key institutions.
The Environmental Impact Assessment acknowledges potential impacts, including biodiversity loss, noise pollution and falling air quality.
KRC has pledged mitigation measures like reforestation and noise barriers, but residents remain sceptical.
In August last year, the Environment and Land Court issued an order halting the construction of the railway through Karen.
The decision followed a petition by KLDA, which argued that there was no proper public participation and that KRC and the government did not secure the necessary Environmental Impact Assessment permit before breaking ground.
Justice Anne Omollo stressed the need for due process, adding that there should be no activities until the case is heard and determined.
KRC and the contractors were directed to provide detailed responses to the concerns raised, including the feasibility study of the project and stakeholder engagement records.
Land belonging to prominent individuals, including the Rai family and former Central Bank of Kenya governor Erick Kotut, are in the path of the railway line.
According to the November 20, 2024 gazette notice, some 0.4015 hectares – about an acre – registered to the Rai family are to be affected by the project.
Madaraka Express arrives at the Mombasa Terminus in Miritini from Nairobi in July 2023.
Rai’s interests span various sectors, including sugar production, timber, cement, edible oils, real estate, paper manufacturing and agriculture.
Karen Roses, a flower business owned by the Kotut family through its holding company – Greenville Plantations Ltd – will forfeit 0.2031 hectares to the project.
Also to be affected is property belonging to the estate of billionaire Stanley Githunguri, who owns the iconic Lilian Towers on University Way in the City Centre.
Major infrastructure projects
Githunguri, who died in November 2022, once represented Kiambaa constituency in the National Assembly.
Two pieces of land belonging to Githunguri will be affected. One is 0.1233 hectares, while the size of the other has not been made public.
The Karen Community Church Registered Trustees and Mr Jackton Hongo will also be affected.
Major infrastructure projects in Kenya have faced similar challenges in the past.
Construction of the SGR from Mombasa to Nairobi, for instance, came under heavy criticism for destroying forests and disrupting wildlife corridors.
Despite mitigation efforts, building the railway led to significant environmental destruction, highlighting the need for better planning and stakeholder engagement in future projects.
Additionally, some of the households that lost land to the SGR are yet to be compensated, with others near the railway complaining of cracked walls as a result of the construction.
The KLDA and residents are pushing for an alternative routes, some shorter than the proposed Riruta-Ngong, and which they say have minimal impact on the environment.
KRC operates commuter passenger train services to and from the Nairobi Central Business District and Ruiru, Athi River, Kikuyu, Kahawa, Embakasi, Lukenya and Syokimau.
Kenya Railways Corporation MD, Philip Mainga, did not respond to repeated emails and text messages on the matters raised by the residents of Ngong and Karen or the KLDA.
