Over 70,000 Kenyans have so far received employment since the construction of the Nairobi–Mombasa-Malaba standard gauge railway line began in Kenya.
While launching the third Kenya SGR social responsibility report 2017/2018, the chairman of the China Road and Bridge Corporation Mr. Lu Shan said that during the construction of the passenger and freight services operations the contractor, the China Communications and Construction Company, (CCCC) upheld the philosophy of sustainable development and shared prosperity.
“The SGR has input strong momentum for social and economic development of Kenya, bringing real benefits to the locals. It has contributed to a GDP growth of 1.5% and reduced 40% of logistics costs”.
The report also highlights various activities that China Communications and Construction Company is running in Kenya. Those projects aim to give back to society by improving infrastructure development, job creation and education.
The AIC Kitet School in Narok, South West Kenya is one of the beneficiaries of this initiative. The school receives donations from the Chinese Embassy and the CCCC. The school uses the money to renovate classes and increase the enrollment.
“CCCC builds three classrooms and we are very thankful to them; class attendance is now high and students are eager to work hard to become the SGR engineers’’, says Peter Kimwara, headmaster of the AIC Kitet School.
Sharing technology and training local workers are also key components of SGR’s social responsibility efforts. The CCCC has enhanced the training of local employees on their technical and management capabilities.
By the end of 2017, CCCC trained 858 employees in conjunction with the Railway Training Institute (RTI). Employees received specialized training in five areas: train operation, locomotive maintenance, rail maintenance, electricity, locomotive and rolling stock.
“Partnership on the Railway Training Institute has been properly manifested”, said Kenya Railways Managing Director Atanas Maina in remarks praising RTI’s education efforts. “It is the sustainable human touch that help develop Kenya’s future in comparison to the 24 hour economy in China. We are looking forward to ensure that the school is up and running’’.
Also present during the launch of report was the Chinese ambassador to Kenya Ms. Sun Baohong. The ambassador is confident the significant progress made by the Belt and Road initiative across Kenya will continue as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation set to be held in Beijing in September draws near.
‘’I strongly believe China-Kenya partnership will be strengthened by this partnership in promoting economic development,” she said.
The Kenya SGR Project Social Responsibility 2017/2018 has also outlined the corporate social interventions the contractor has engaged in over the past year, spread across improving access of water, education and infrastructure repair.
SGR phase 2A has initiated the Naivasha Water project to set up water points and towers along the project and distributes water from Lake Naivasha to local residents for the daily use.
Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta will inspect the Phase 2 A of the SGR project on Saturday, 23 June. It is hoped that phase 2A will greatly improve cargo transport across the country.
