HOW STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY MONOPOLY IS KILLING THE ECONOMY OF MOMBASA



Story By: Clinton Odino
Image of S.G.R train duringfirst launch by president uhurukenyatta in nairobi PHOTO: NATION MEDIA

Summary
The construction of the standard gauge railway was termed by many as a game changer in the transport industry. many waited impatiently for the long purportedly standard modern train to start its operations.
 one major instance that the major counties that were yearning for the rail line to pass through are the serious negative economic impacts it would have on their premier sources of finance.The local communities have now became theminority owners of business empires in their own town with the Chinese taking controlof the transport sector, the youth who wereearlier working as casuals are forcedtoturnto Mogoka tradewhich has since been banned by the County Government.


IMPACT  ON TRANSPORT AND SECURITY

  Owing to limited job opportunities, majority of citizens especially from the coast region found driving of long distance cargo lorries as the next frontier of adventure. it turned out to be a lucrative adventure that enabled the individuals to comfortably fend for their families.
   The fact that the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (S.G.R)  would be the factor to drive them out of business was absolutely an unforeseen forthcoming. An Executive  directive that all the goods imported through the Port of Mombasa  be transported from the coast region by the  S.G.R meant that they would wake up a jobless lot. This has forced most of them who even lack academic documents to enable them find well paying job opportunities to turn to their earlier lives as criminals, drug lords and being used to commit crimes by politicians. indeed since the directive, there has been a series of gang attacks in the coast region. This just shows the impact of the S.G.R rendering residents of coast region in truck business jobless.
According to Okoa Kenya, an  organization  that  formed to gang up against the directive claims that it has resulted in monopoly in the sector. this has forced Clearing and Forwarding companies to either shift their operations to readily congested Nairobi or close their companies  Container stations run by coast  business people lie idle with most of them opting to exit the market all together.
Members of Okoa Kenya being tackled by police during a demonstration against S.G.R directive. PHOTO:Courtesy of Nation media 
IMPACT ON LOCAL TRADERS AND BROCKERS

 Mombasa port which is the backbone of the economy in coast region is currently almost a ghosted facility with no incoming ships, an undocumented survey states that most importers are now choosing Tanzanian ports as an alternative of shipment due to unfavourable economic policies favoring the S.G.R which is still under the management of the Chinese government. To worsen the situation, the government ofKenya is reportedly ploting to privatize terminal A at the port of Mombasa.
  Trade brokers who are based in Mombasa have found it difficult conducting their operations. Their main source of income which is negotiating and storing goods for upcountry importers in their warehouses has been set a blow. The warehouses are now indle, the organizations are no longer in a position to pay wages. This has gave them no option butto lay off a huge chunk of their employees.
Nyali Member of Parliament Mohamed Ali and Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid lead Mombasa residents in protests against S.G.R directive.PHOTO : RSSing.com
EXPERT  PERSPECTIVE
 Economic experts who attended the Okoa Mombasa community forum last month predict tough economic situations fortheresuidents of Mombasa. most of the speakersstated that the port will soon be a deserted zone with private port operation firms packing up, they added that their exit couldexpose the port of Mombasa to auction. 
 The S.G.R has been seen as a threat to development of the coastal native communities who are the dominant class of workers at the Kenya Port. 
WAY FORWARD
 It remains a watch and see if the local initiatives and activists would come to the rescue of the economy of Mombasa, they remain the only source of hope since thelocal administrative laedership has failed to comment on the matter and have always remained mum when approached on the topic. 

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