Kenya Railways Responds to Reports That 10 Trains Had Stalled

The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has refuted reports that 10 out of 11 trains acquired in 2020 have stalled.

In a statement on Sunday, August 11, the corporation noted that the 11 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) are fully operational and in good condition. 

"Kenya Railways would like to state facts concerning the story that appeared in the Nation Media's Weekly Review magazine on Sunday 11th August 2024 regarding Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) which operate under the Nairobi Commuter Rail (NCR) service.

"Contrary to the story, the eleven DMUs acquired by KRC in 2020 are fully operational and in good condition. The DMUs which operate on the Meter Gauge Railway lines run daily as per schedule," read part of the statement.

Kenya Railways further disclosed that it regularly maintains the DMUs as well as other locomotives and coaches to ensure the safety and comfort of customers.

The corporation also explained that when the DMUs began operations, they had been scheduled to operate along the Nairobi-Syokimau and Embakasi routes but they were later rededicated to operate on the Embakasi route while the Nairobi-Syokimau route was given a high-capacity train due to high demand.

"Acquisition of the DMUs was in line with the Kenya Railways Commuter Rail Masterplan, which aims at revitalizing the Nairobi Commuter Rail service. The DMUs have been functional and continue addressing the immediate actions identified under the Masterplan for provision of reliable, safe, and comfortable modern rail transport services," Kenya Railways stated.

Additionally, the corporation disclosed that it had successfully implemented phase one of the master plan and was in the process of implementing phase two, which included the purchase of new high-capacity Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMUs).

"Implementation of Phase One of the Masterplan has been successful, leading to an increased demand for the commuter service. KR is therefore in the process of implementing Phase Two of the Masterplan under the Nairobi Railway City Project which entails, among others, the purchase of new high capacity Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMUs) with a sitting capacity of 1200 pax, double the capacity of the existing DMUS. The Diesel-Electric Multiple Units (DEMUs) are an eight-car set comprising motorized and non-motorized units that can be detached to subsets of lower capacity," Kenya Railways added.

The Nation report claimed that 10 out of 11 the DMUs, bought from Spain at a cost of about Sh2 billion, had stalled due to mechanical problems.