Kenya Railways Debunks Claims of Obsolete Trains, Clarifies Ongoing Modernization Plans.

The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has firmly dismissed reports suggesting that their recently acquired Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMUs) have become obsolete, requiring replacement. A recent publication by a local daily claimed that the 11 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) purchased in 2020 as part of a broader city commute master plan are now unfit for service due to a lack of spare parts for necessary repairs.

In a swift response, KRC refuted these allegations, emphasizing that the master plan has succeeded and that all DMUs remain fully operational. "The DMUs have been functional and continue addressing the immediate actions identified under the Masterplan for the provision of reliable, safe, and comfortable modern rail transport services," the corporation stated.

KRC highlighted that all their locomotives, including the DEMUs, undergo regular maintenance to ensure passenger safety. "In line with our standard operating procedures, we are bound to recall and detach locomotives and or coaches including the DEMUs for routine maintenance, which takes place at the Nairobi Railway Central workshops," a KRC representative explained.

The corporation further clarified the operational adjustments made to meet customer demands, noting that while the DMUs were initially scheduled to operate along the Nairobi-Syokimau and Embakasi routes, they were later reassigned. The DMUs now primarily serve the Embakasi route, while a high-capacity train was deployed to the Syokimau route to accommodate the higher number of passengers.

Looking ahead, KRC revealed plans to acquire new DEMUs with a seating capacity of 1,200 passengers—double the capacity of the current models. These DEMUs are designed as an eight-car set, comprising both motorized and non-motorized units that can be detached to form smaller subsets.

KRC's latest statement underscores its commitment to modernizing Kenya's rail transport system while debunking any misinformation about the functionality of its existing fleet.