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"id": 1625852,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625852/?format=api",
"text_counter": 197,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " You may proceed, Honourable CS."
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{
"id": 1625853,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625853/?format=api",
"text_counter": 198,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Mr. Speaker, sir, I beg to respond. The transport sector is recognised as a key pillar and a critical enabler in achieving Vision 2030, a long-term development strategy and the bottom-up economic transformation agenda. Development of an efficient transport system in rural and urban areas is therefore a key factor in supporting the country's development strategies. I wish to indicate that for this particular project, the source of funding for the project is purely the Government of Kenya. The Government, through the Kenya Railways Corporation, conducted a feasibility study that resulted in the development of a Nairobi Commuter Master Plan, 2019. The master plan identified key commuter line corridors for development and modernisation within the Nairobi Metropolitan area. The key identified corridors forming the core network include: Kikuyu-Limuru, which is currently existing under the Metre Gauge Railway; Riruta-Thika, which also exists today with the Metre Gauge Railway; Lukenya-Kitengela-Konza, also existing; Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), which is proposed; Embakasi Village, which is existing and Riruta-Ngong, under implementation from Riruta to Ngong. Riruta-Ngong commuter line, which will be linked to the revitalised Nairobi Railway Station, is also one of the commuter lines identified as critical transport infrastructure under the Prioritised Integrated Transport System for the decongestion of Nairobi Metropolitan Area. The rationale behind preference of the commuter rail over land transport is that commuter rail is for mass transport and therefore the carbon footprint is what we all desire today and where one commuter train carries about 6,600 passengers, both standing and sitting, which is equivalent to about 460 14-seater matatus and that is one way of decongesting our city. I have just indicated where you can get that master plan and in today's time of technology, if you go to that site, you will be able to see the master plan. I wish to indicate that for this particular project, the source of funding, like I have said, is purely the Government of Kenya. As regards environmental social impact assessment study, the same was conducted in line with the Environmental Management and Coordination Act, 1999. Attached herewith is a copy of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) license number NEMA/EAI/PSL/35081. I also wish to add that the project is being implemented under the Engineering Procurement Construction Basis with an independent consultancy for design review and construction supervision in place."
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{
"id": 1625854,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625854/?format=api",
"text_counter": 199,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "[The Speaker (Hon. Kingi) left the Chair]"
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{
"id": 1625855,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625855/?format=api",
"text_counter": 200,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
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{
"id": 1625856,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625856/?format=api",
"text_counter": 201,
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"speaker_name": "",
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"speaker": null,
"content": "[The Temporary Speaker (Sen. Veronica Maina) in the Chair]"
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{
"id": 1625857,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625857/?format=api",
"text_counter": 202,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport",
"speaker": null,
"content": "On the second question, in order to enhance the economy of the country, mobility of the citizenry is key and the transport sector acts as a key enabler for economic growth. The land is a finite resource, therefore, the aim of the Ministry is to ensure both railway and road transport modes complement one another instead of competing with one another. Given the finite nature of the land, the Ministry aims to promote use of Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. The two modes being pursued are Commuter Rail Transport and the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT). I can talk more about that because we just came back from the United Kingdom (UK), where we were looking at the UK fund to do the Nairobi Railway City and we are specifically focusing on these corridors to be able to move people quickly out and into the city and be able to decongest. Construction cost is Kshs8.1 billion. For construction cost we have about Kshs8.26 billion. Land acquisition will cost us Kshs2.8 billion. We are acquiring land in very expensive areas through that current corridor. Land acquisition costs, including protection, relocation and existing utilities as I have indicated, they will be significantly expensive. Next question is on the status of the compulsory land acquisition. The total length of the Riruta-Ngong commuter line is approximately 13 kilometers. The ownership of the section traversed by the proposed railway line we have given a schedule attached and the length of the railway track ownership of the land and so on and so forth. I have captured there 2.4 kilometers with Kenya Railways as available corridor. We already have that. About 0.55 kilometers is with the Kenya Forestry Service and we need to acquire way leave. About 0.3 kilometers is with the Kenya National Highway overpass across the southern bypass. About 4.55 kilometers is with Kenya Urban Roads Authority that we need to be able to share jointly. One kilometer is with Kenya Broadcasting Corporation Station, which we need to acquire. About 0.9 kilometers is with the National Police Academy and which we need to then acquire. Fortunately, that is in the Government. About 2.1 kilometers is with the VET Farm Department and 1.35 kilometers is private acquisition or land acquisition process which is ongoing by the National Land Commission. Gazettement has been done, Gazette Notice 7418 Volume CXXV11 No.119 dated 5th June, 2025 for inquiry. Hon. Sifuna, you can see that is fairly current and some work is being done. Let me just hasten to add that Nairobi Railway City, having been pronounced by the leadership as a priority project to be able to recalibrate and give new life to that piece of 438 acres of land sitting with the Kenya Railways, we do not only wish to build the new railway terminals, we will update or upgrade the platforms for all these lines to come in and out of the city. We will build a public ramp for the people arriving at a capacity of 30,000 persons per hour. To a very good extent, if we did the Nairobi Railway City alone without doing all the lines that I have talked about into Kikuyu-Riruta, Ruiru-Thika-Lukenya, JKIA and Embakasi Village to be able to bring in people in and out quickly, it would not be--- So, we do not wish to do a stranded investment in upgrading the Nairobi Railway City The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
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"id": 1625858,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625858/?format=api",
"text_counter": 203,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport",
"speaker": null,
"content": "without doing the supporting BRT and the commuter rail. Therefore, we are taking all this as a package. The project that we are talking about through Riruta, which already has a contractor on the ground, I think China Road and Bridge Cooperation (CRBC) is one project which has already taken off and we are going to pay attention to make sure that we decongest the city, we move people out of the city for residents out there and be able to expand the economy as it were by moving people in and out very quickly."
},
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"id": 1625859,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625859/?format=api",
"text_counter": 204,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Veronica Maina",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Sen. Sifuna, do you have a supplementary question? Do you want to ask both of them now?"
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"id": 1625860,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625860/?format=api",
"text_counter": 205,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Yes, in fact, I do have. The Cabinet Secretary has given me a 2019 report, but I was meant to believe that there was another report funded by the World Bank in 2017. A consultant funded by the World Bank actually ranked this Ngong-Riruta line as the least priority in terms of construction of railways in this city. I have a few issues. I have publicly said that this is one of the few Cabinet Secretaries, if not the only Cabinet Secretary, that I have respect for because he takes his work seriously. However, I can see here in his response he has made an allegation that one commuter train is supposed to carry 6,600 passengers and that is an advantage over road construction. In this same report, paragraph 39 talks of 1,200 passengers per train. I do not know where you got your number of 6,600 passengers. Also, would you not agree with me that it is not just about passengers? The Cabinet Secretary is telling us that 6,600 passengers is equivalent to 460 14-seater matatus. However, you and I know 14-seater matatus, 460 of them employing two people each, there are other benefits of having these matatus on the road. It is not just about the numbers that you are able to transport in one vehicle. Let us go to the answer on the comparison of the cost of construction of the road"
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"speaker": null,
"content": "vis-a-vis"
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