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{
    "id": 554941,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/554941/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 277,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. J.K. Chege",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2129,
        "legal_name": "John Kiragu Chege",
        "slug": "john-kiragu-chege"
    },
    "content": "Thank you hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to support this Motion. We know that the Standard Gauge Railway is a wider gauge railway than the current one that we have, which is a one metre gauge railway. The size of this railway is 1,435 millimetres wide. By adopting this gauge, it becomes possible for this country and the region to procure equipment like rolling stocks, wagons or coaches at a much cheaper cost than procuring for a one metre gauge railway. We have been particularly serving the Kenya-Uganda region and part of Tanzania with a one meter gauge railway. Some of the rolling stocks that are used on the metre gauge are made of special equipment to serve this region. By adopting this Protocol and including the other States within the region, we are opening ourselves to the standard gauge which is applicable in many parts of the world. It will enable this country to move goods, people and passengers more efficiently at a safer speed and at a cost that is competitive. We know that we have Phase I that is currently underway. It is the intention of the Government to have Phase II. For complete integration within the East African region, we have to move the Standard Gauge Railway to our neighbours Uganda and Rwanda, so that trans-shipment, particularly when you are trans-shipping goods from one type of railway to the other, which can be very expensive, is cheaper. If we adopt one gauge which moves from one country into the other, the cost of trans-shipment will be cheaper. It is about time that the East African region, particularly our country and neighbours, adopted a standard gauge railway which will be easy for purposes of operation and becomes an integrated part of the Northern Corridor Transport Protocol. Challenges will be faced in future, on whether we will operate one truck or we will be required to have two trucks. This is an issue that the East African region will have to discuss. We know that as traffic grows, there will be an issue for us to assess what kind of truck we will require, either a single truck or a double truck. This is the way forward. With those remarks, I support this Protocol."
}