Kenya And UK Ink Design Deal For Nairobi Central Rail Station

By Samuel Ouma

Kenya, on Tuesday, June 26, sealed a deal with the United Kingdom that will see the latter build the Nairobi Railway City and Central Station.

The Road and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and WS Atkins International Limited client director Philip Dowrick witnessed the signing of the agreement.

Also present were the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Transport, Mr. Mohamed Daghar, Kenya Railways MD. Philip J. Mainga EBS,  British High Commission representative, Mark Povey, and KR senior management.

“The signing of the contract, which took place at Transcom House in Nairobi, gives impetus to the journey towards the realisation of the vision that is Nairobi Railway City with our sights set on a January 2024 target for the commencement of construction work,” said Kipchumba Murkomen.

CS Murkomen said the project will create 10,000 jobs, regenerate the area around the Nairobi Central Station, provide a clean and green urban space, create a multi-modal transport system, and position Nairobi as a leading World City and commercial hub.

While thanking the UK Government for their support in the development of the Nairobi Railway City, Murkomen urged the leadership of M/S Atkins to incorporate local architects and contractors as well as young graduates in the profession in the designing and development of the City as a way of harnessing their skills, growing their experience and putting money in their pockets.

Nairobi Railway City is an iconic multipurpose urban development project aimed at expanding and decongesting Nairobi's Central Business District.

The mega project will comprise a world-class new Nairobi central station and mixed-use commercial complexes, hotels, and intermodal transportation amenities.

The project will be constructed in three phases over 20 years. The first phase includes the Central Railway Station and a business complex with two 5,000-square-metre towers.

The second phase will comprise an economic zone with high-tech firms and small and medium-sized businesses. The third phase will comprise of a residential complex featuring a school, a park, and housing units.