STORY: Kenya's railway evolution fuels nation's renewal
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 28 and Dec. 12, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 13, 2023
LENGTH: 00:05:02
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Nairobi Railway Museum
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SEVILY MWAILEMI, Assistant Manager at SGR
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SEVILY MWAILEMI, Assistant Manager at SGR
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): SEVILY MWAILEMI, Assistant Manager at SGR
5. various of Sevily mentoring young people at a SGR locomotive depot
6. various of the SGR model at the Railway Museum
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): SEVILY MWAILEMI, Assistant Manager at SGR
8. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): DENNIS MUNENE, Executive Director of the China-Africa Center
9. SOUNDBITE 6 (English): DENNIS MUNENE, Executive Director of the China-Africa Center
10. footages of SGR passengers and cargo train shot in 2021-2023 (file)

STORYLINE:

The Nairobi Railway Museum, nestled in Nairobi's bustling downtown, remains a popular destination for both locals and tourists eager to delve into Kenya's rich history.

Housing an array of archived literature, locomotive prototypes and aging railway tracks, the museum serves as a vivid storyteller of Kenya's evolution from a colonial outpost to an independent nation, relentlessly on the move.

Sevily Mwailemi, a 58-year-old locomotive driver with over three decades of experience, emphasized the pivotal role of Kenya's history tied to its railway infrastructure.

The first meter gauge railway snaking from Kenya's port city of Mombasa to the hinterlands, ending at the Ugandan border, was constructed by the British colonialists from 1896 to around 1901. Dubbed the "Iron Snake," the railway facilitated the transportation of raw materials, solidifying British colonial economic interests.

After Kenya gained independence in 1963, the meter gauge railway persisted in its role of cargo and passenger transportation. And diesel-powered locomotives replaced steam engines.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SEVILY MWAILEMI, Assistant Manager at SGR
"Here we have a prototype of 87 Class locomotive which was the fast, very fast locomotive diesel-electric locomotive made by the British but they have since now become obsolete because they are quite old."

However, Mwailemi said the lingering colonial legacy was associated with the old railway despite its contribution to Kenya's development. Having honed his skills along this historic line for over three decades, he transitioned in 2021 to the Chinese-funded Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which he said has significantly contributed to the nation's economy.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SEVILY MWAILEMI, Assistant Manager at SGR
"Here, this is the SGR coach. Madaraka Express, this is the coach for Madaraka Express. Madaraka simply means independence, and that was independence and self-governance. "

Launched in 2017, the 472-kilometer Mombasa-Nairobi SGR drastically reduced travel time and emerged as the preferred choice for commuters, playing a pivotal role in stimulating commerce and empowering smaller towns along its corridor.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): SEVILY MWAILEMI, Assistant Manager at SGR
"The project is actually a major driver of Kenya both economically and socially. I think my work is very meaningful in that I guide the young team in this field."

The Mombasa-Nairobi SGR, often referred to as the fruit of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is also a flagship project of Kenya's Vision 2030 long-term development blueprint. It is a critical component of the northern corridor of the East African Railway Network and has a phase 2A which runs from Nairobi to Rift Valley town of Naivasha, covering 120 kilometers.

The SGR has operated seamlessly for over 2,300 days, ferrying millions of passengers and tons of goods, contributing significantly to Kenya's socioeconomic growth.

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): SEVILY MWAILEMI, Assistant Manager at SGR
"What Kenya and maybe the larger African continent should do is to develop its own capacity. The SGR I can say is the largest project after independence. We can now say, it handles most of the imports and exports into and from Kenya and her neighbors. It's one of the largest contributors for the country."

Dennis Munene, executive director of the China-Africa Center based in Nairobi, highlighted the contrast between the extractive nature of the old railway and the developmental impact of the SGR.

SOUNDBITE 5 (English): DENNIS MUNENE, Executive Director of the China-Africa Center
"This year we are part of the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative which is also another key global initiative that has helped Kenya to grow, so those aspects within our foreign policy helped us to grow to position ourselves strategically and to be able to enjoy the different aspects that's the global community is going through. The SGR, that is a partnership between China and Kenya, is development-oriented. It helps Kenya to integrate with the other East African countries. It's helping Kenya to grow in terms of its economic expansion. It's creating what we call a fast and efficient mode of transport for goods and passengers."

As Kenya prepares to celebrate its 60th independence anniversary, Munene emphasized the continued significance of railway development in steering a prosperous and inclusive future for the nation.

SOUNDBITE 6 (English): DENNIS MUNENE, Executive Director of the China-Africa Center
"We have to industrialize, we have to push for more infrastructure development. That needs to be our key agenda. We're celebrating now our independence 60 years. And we will always continue to look behind on what happened. We are going to heal from the wounds and now push for Kenya to attain more development."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)