Business Daily
Date: 04.09.2014
Page 8
Article size: 167 cm2
ColumnCM: 37.11
AVE: 70511.11
House wants Kamau to
explain fate of RVR deal
BY EDWIN MUTAI
Mombasa­Nairobi­Malaba­
A House committee wants
Kampala railway line which
will be arriving at the Mom­
basa port from September 10.
Roads and Infrastructure
secretary Michael Kamau to
explain the status of Rift Val­
"RVR is maintaining the old
ley Railways (RVR) conces­
sionaire agreement after the
coming of the new standard
rail.. .they have bought equip­
ment at a cost of Sh32 billion,"
he told MPs during a session
gauge railway.
The National Assembly's
Transport and Communica­
to deliberate on road sector
tions committee says it wants
a detailed briefing on the sta­
is bringing in three new lo­
tus of the railway concession
from next week.
reforms on Tuesday.
He said the concessionaire
comotives expected to arrive
in relation to the new standard
"I will be commission­
ing the three locomotives on
gauge railway.
The concession allowed
September 17 in Changamwe.
I suggest that this committee
RVR to have a 25­year mo­
nopoly of railway services
on the Mombasa to Kampala
"We want to know every­
thing about RVR and the pro­
grammes it's undertaking to
route as well as Nairobi com­
there," he told the team.
will happen to the old line
revamp the railway. We want
you (Kamau) to return here on
Monday at 9am to brief us on
the concession," Mr Kamanda
once the new line is in place,"
said.
holders. TransCentury group
moved out of the concession,"
muter services.
"We need to know what
said chairman of the commit­
Mr Kamau said RVR has
tee Maina Kamanda who is
bought new equipment worth
alsoStareheMP.
Sh32billionto rehabilitate the
The committee set Monday
morning for Mr Kamau and his
team to appear before MPs to
provide the status of RVR.
century­old rail line.
He told the committee
thatRVRhas investedheavily
in equipment to maintain the
tour RVR headquarters and
see the equipment that is now
"There is a lot happening
at RVR particularly now that
there has been change of share­
he said.
In April, TransCentury sold
its 34 per cent stake in RVR,
which won a concession to op­
erate the 2,350km railway line
from the Port of Mombasa.
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