Kenya will not have electric trains anytime soon. This is after the government dropped plans for electrification of the standard gauge railway (SGR) line between Mombasa and Nairobi.
These plans were shelved due to high high costs and irregular power supply.
“Electrifying this line also depends on our ability as a country to finance that kind of infrastructure,” Kenya Railways managing director Atanas Maina said.
He further added that electrifying the line would enhance the speed of the railway, but could not take Kenya to speeds of up to 250km per hour seen in developed nations such as China, Germany and UK.
“Those trains are designed for passenger movement in countries where the focus is to move millions of people. I do not think the demand exists in this country now,” he said.
Kenya had earlier planned a Sh.49 billion electric upgrade before 2021.
The design of the SGR rail line — which is currently run by diesel-powered locomotives — allows for the addition of a single electric line.