The United Kingdom will finance the construction of the Nairobi Central Railway to a tune of Ksh.30 billion.
The project, set to begin this July, is under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
“The project is a PPP project and to the private partners, this presents a good return on investment. This will also help in structuring how the government envisions the city becoming a city of the future,” said Transport Principal Secretary Joseph Njoroge.
According to Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Maringar, the project will be set up on 425 acres of Kenya Railways land and will be incorporated into the new Nairobi integrated transport system.
“We have a lot of under utilitied land that we want to develop the railway city on. We want people to use this facility and enjoy seamless transportation.”
The climate-resilient project will be completed in three years and is supposed to ease mobility and interconnectivity within the city and its environs.
The new design, which was completed by Atkins UK and handed over to Kenya Railways and the Ministry of Transport, is part of the wider Nairobi Railway City redevelopment programme, championed by President Kenyatta and supported by the UK government.
It was unveiled by the UK Prime Minister’s G7 and G20 Sherpa, Jonathan Black and Principal Secretary Transport, Joseph Njoroge, and witnessed by UK Deputy High Commissioner, Julius Court.
UK Prime Minister’s and Sherpa Jonathan Black said that great cities have always been engines of growth and innovation.
“This is a challenge across the world, from Nairobi to London. That is why it is such a pleasure to be here today for the launch of the design for the new central railway station and public realm that will sit at the heart of Nairobi Railway City,” said Black during the launch.
It will be the second PPP mega project in the country following the completion of the Nairobi Expressway which cost Ksh.65 billion.
