Kenya Railways Corporation Issues A Statement Regarding The Nairobi Commuter Rail Service Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs)
Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has issued an official statement in response to an article that appeared in Nation Media’s Weekly Review magazine on Sunday, 11th August 2024. The article raised concerns about the Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) operating under the Nairobi Commuter Rail (NCR) service. KRC has sought to clarify the facts and address the misinformation presented.
According to Kenya Railways, the eleven DMUs, which were acquired in 2020, are fully operational and in good condition. These units, which operate on the Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) lines, continue to run daily according to schedule, providing reliable transport services for commuters in Nairobi.
Kenya Railways emphasised that regular maintenance is conducted on the DMUs, along with other locomotives and coaches, to ensure the highest standards of safety and comfort for passengers. The statement highlighted that the recall and detachment of locomotives or coaches, including the DMUs, for routine maintenance is part of standard operating procedures. Such maintenance activities are carried out at the Nairobi Railway Central workshops, ensuring that all rolling stock remains in optimal condition.
The corporation further clarified the initial deployment of the DMUs. When they began operations, they were scheduled to operate along the Nairobi-Syokimau and Embakasi routes. However, due to the high number of customers on the Syokimau route, KRC reassigned the DMUs to serve the Embakasi route and provided a high-capacity train for the Syokimau route.
The acquisition of the DMUs was in line with the Kenya Railways Commuter Rail Masterplan, which aims to revitalise and modernise the Nairobi Commuter Rail service. The DMUs have been functional since their introduction and continue to address the immediate needs identified in the Masterplan. These units are a crucial part of Kenya Railways’ commitment to providing reliable, safe, and comfortable rail transport services.
Phase One of the Masterplan has been successfully implemented, resulting in increased demand for commuter services. Kenya Railways is now in the process of rolling out Phase Two of the Masterplan under the Nairobi Railway City Project. This phase includes the purchase of new high-capacity Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMUs), which will have a seating capacity of 1,200 passengers—double the capacity of the existing DMUs. These new DEMUs are designed as eight-car sets, consisting of both motorised and non-motorised units, which can be detached into subsets to accommodate varying passenger numbers.
Kenya Railways remains committed to delivering on its mandate to provide efficient and modern rail services, ensuring that the needs of Nairobi’s commuters are met with the highest standards of safety and reliability.