Kenya’s joy of completing and owning the first phase of Standard Gauge Railway SGR under the Jubilee government has been left in disarray after reports emerged that there are already ‘ Local Private Moguls’ who now owns the project.
According to reports by a local media House (Nation Media) SGR operations and maintenance deal was initially signed between China Road and Bridge Corporation CRBC and Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC).
(CRBC), a State-owned Chinese company with Kenyan offices was to run the trains for 10 years, but a “special purpose operating company” was later formed in May 2017 to run the operations.
Secret sources from the ministry of Transportation disclosed that the secret contract between the private company, Africa Star and Kenya Railways Corporation was signed at White Sands Hotel in Mombasa in the presence of a handful of officials hours before President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the Madaraka Express Mombasa-Nairobi train on May 31, 2017.
So, it turns out SGR has ‘local private owners’ even before we pay up the Chinese loan. Are we still a country or a black hole?
— Linus Kaikai (@LinusKaikai) June 9, 2019
It was during this meeting that an agreement was made. The deal was to will remain confidential between KRC and the operator. The private operator, Africa Star has so far warned the Kenya Railways against Publishing any information given by them before passing by CRBC for approvals.
Kenyans have already expressed their displeasure against the China Road and Bridge Corporation for using private operator Africa Star to manage all the SGR activities.
Kenya signed a secret agreement with the Chinese allowing a mystery company with unknown local shareholders to run the Standard Gauge Railway, documents seen by the Sunday Nation show. https://t.co/YWAysluy52
— Daily Nation (@dailynation) June 9, 2019
Many have already read some mischievous deeds of the government top officials collaborating with the Chinese farm to rob Kenya of their hard-earned achievement, SGR and turning it to personal properties. Some are questioning the government’s speed to convert public owned infrastructure into private entities even when the SGR loans are not fully serviced.
Here are some reactions from the online users;
Dig deeper into the documents, I won't be surprised if you find evidence that Kenya was sold a few years ago and the SGR is the final installment before we become a Chinese overseas territory.
— Eric surungai 🇰🇪 (@ericsurungai) June 9, 2019
Haha it's no longer surprising. This country does not need a revolution. It needs 'war'
— D.. (@d_On_28) June 9, 2019
Hapa tu nikumalizwa tunamalizwa.
— Farouk (@_chalo_98) June 9, 2019
Kudnt agree wirh yu more, ni vita tunataka tusheshimiane
— Lemzy Wonder (@lemzywonder) June 9, 2019
“The curse these thieves in govt have inherited is,no matter how much they steal,they shall never be satisfied until they die;the irony is that together with their families,they don’t spend a cent of all that lucre coz all their needs r catered for by the govt.” wrote one user William Chege
Kenya leadership know very well they are smart in hoodwinking us.Our country has had working citizen but we're blinded by tribalism tag to a point we cant ask hard questions.The leadership are slowly auctioning our resources and will be late on realizing.
— walvine mach (@walvine) June 9, 2019
Some could even predict another looming scandal involving the recent concluded Huduma Namba registration.
Next scandal is Huduma namba… Just Wait
— Joel (@Joenyayo) June 9, 2019
Anger and desperateness were also displayed by most who seems to have given up on the war against corruption
hakuna shida …. we know we are doomed, kenyans work very hard woth long working hours and less resting times for the benefit of few individuals…. even now we know they printed lots of new currencies they are taking to their homes in 40 feet containers
— ocharo (@ochar0) June 9, 2019