Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has advised President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop the construction of the second phase of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to save Kenyan more debt pain.
Joho stated that more external borrowing and failure to settle loans will affect economy of the country and expose Kenyans to poverty.
The construction of second phase of SGR from Nairobi to Naivasha is expected to be completed by September 2019.
The government had targeted to complete the construction on December 2019 but a review in the plans showed it would be completed three months before the set deadline.
“Both the rail and the special economic zone should be operational by the end of 2019,” Transport Principal Secretary Paul Maringa said.
The construction of 120-kilometre from Nairobi-Naivasha will cost Kenyans Sh150 billion, and it will connect the recently completed stretch from Mombasa port to Nairobi.
Kenyans will have to dig deeper into their pockets as the SGR will eventually connect Naivasha, Kisumu, Malaba and finally Kampala.