03 June, 2017
In the past few years, a number of Chinese-built railways have appeared on the horizon of the whole African continent, including the Africa's first transnational electrified railway connecting Ethiopia and Djibouti, a 1,344-km Benguela Railway linking up Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and the first standard gauge railway modernization project undertaken by Nigeria.
Speaking at the inauguration, President Kenyatta said: "This is a historic day and it is a day that everyone of us should feel proud to be a Kenyan".
The President boarded the passenger train's maiden journey and was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and several other dignitaries.
The new SGR line is expected to reduce the travel time between Mombasa and Nairobi from an average of nine to ten hour journey by bus to roughly four or five hours by train.
Uhuru with students aboard the Madaraka Express.
Special trucks carrying 10 freight train carriages Friday departed from Harbin, capital of China's Heilongjiang Province, for Kenya to be used on the newly operational Mombasa-Nairobi railway.
The capital Nairobi was a swampy outpost with no particular attraction until it became the headquarters of Kenya Railways.
"Despite a lot of criticism, we now celebrate. the Madaraka Express. that will begin to re-shape the story of Kenya for the next 100 years", said Kenyatta.
While the government has previously said economy class tickets would cost 900 shillings ($8.70/7.70 euros), Kenyatta on Wednesday announced that the price would be 700 shillings.
"I pray for forgiveness from God, but I will sign their death sentence for them to be hanged", he warned.
It is the first step in the grand plan to build an East Africa railway network that will eventually link Kenya with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. It will also reduce the cost of cargo transportation between the two cities.
Kenya Railways has said the Chinese will run the railway for six years before handing it over.
Poor infrastructure has hurt economic activity through much of Africa.
Kenya has already secured financing for the second phase, from Naivasha to Kisumu, so technically, the focus should be on Uganda.
