The National Environment Tribunal has stopped the construction of sh.63 billion second phase of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). The phase, which covers Nairobi-Naivasha, was halted until the tribunal determines if an environmental study on the route was satisfactorily done.
“It is clear when there is an appeal to the tribunal concerning environmental issues; the status quo is maintained until the dispute is determined. Thus, this is to direct that all activities relating to the construction of Phase 2A of the SGR be stopped until the appeal is determined,” The tribunal said.
The railroad was to start from Nairobi South Railway Station and cross through to Naivasha Industrial Park in Enosupukia. Activist Okiya Omtatah together with The Kenya Coalition for Wildlife Conservation and Management have questioned the project.
The lobbyists allege that The National Environmental Management Authority, (NEMA) irregularly issued the Kenya Railways Corporation with a license to continue with the project.
The license is said to have been awarded in quick and odd circumstances, and with no consultations with authorities responsible for wildlife and environment conservation.
“The report the license is based upon has serious flaws, including being inconsistent with the legal framework governing environment protection. It assumes other agencies will supervise the construction when the contract is exclusively given to a foreign entity,” said the lobby group.
The lobby group argues that NEMA did not specify that parcels of land earmarked for major railroad facilities are owned by Kenyatta family, and other people linked to the government and with political connections.
Singling out Nairobi National Park, the lobby group said that the license was issued ignoring the fact that the railroad will cause human-wildlife conflict when it passes through the park, sending the animals to parts highly populated by people.
They claimed that poachers will easily access the park, during the 18 months period that the SGR project will be ongoing inside the Nairobi National Park.