Kenya’s sh400 billion Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), was officially launched on Wednesday by President Uhuru Kenyatta in Miritini, Mombasa.
And despite the emphasis on how much the railway line will turn around Kenya’s economy, the President sent out a stern warning to saboteurs.
He warned that anyone thinking of vandalizing the railway line may face death row.
“I want to say this so that those who will be caught doing wrong to know early enough. There is a law in place that if you are a saboteur or a thief of public property or critical infrastructure; the sentence-economic sabotage which is a capital offense, you are sentenced to death,” he said.
He said as the President, the Constitution has given him the power to decide if or not those convicted of capital offenses should be hanged.
And recently, he said, he commuted death sentences to life sentences for capital offenders.
But he will not think twice on appending his signature to have those who will sabotage and destroy the railway line’s infrastructure put to death as their sentences demand.
“I want to declare toady that those who will be found guilty and sentenced for destroying public property, destroying the rights of the children of the children of our children; I say God forgive me but those who will be sentenced, I will append my signature for them to be hanged,” Uhuru fired the warning.
He said he will not allow some few people to impinge on the rights of Kenyans and destroy projects which will be used by generations to come.
So far, four people have been arrested and taken to court after they vandalized section of the railway line along Naiorbi-Mombasa.
Uhuru also declared that fares for the economy class should be not more than sh700.
On Tuesday, Kenya Railways Corporation announced that they would charge sh900 for the economy class while those traveling in First class would pay sh3, 000.
Uhuru also ordered that cargo being transported from Nairobi to Mombasa should not be charged more than sh50, 000.
