• KLDA cites concerns raised during a stakeholder meeting held at St. Christopher International School on April 12, 2024.
• The association says the construction of the proposed commuter railway line started without proper consultation of the affected communities as per the legal framework.
Image: KENYA RAILWAYS/X
Karen residents have opposed the planned construction of the Sh1.2 billion Riruta-Ngong commuter railway.
The Karen Langata District Association said the proposed line would negatively impact property values in the neighbourhood by altering its low-density, residential character, which currently attracts investors.
It said the project did not follow the due process. There was a lack of information and public participation was not done before the project started.
“As a resident association, we urge Nema not to grant an ESIA license on the proposed development based on the above concerns as it will negatively affect residents and the environment,” the association says in a letter to Nema Director-General Mamo Mamo.
The letter is dated August 19, 2024.
The 12.5km rail will traverse Riruta, Karen, Bulbul and Ngong. It was commissioned by President William Ruto last December.
The association says the proposed line will adversely destroy the environment through destruction, and deforestation of Ngong forest, Karen surgery, Ngong Dairy, Arocha and other green spaces in the neighborhood.
It says Karen Ward boasts a lush greenery that needs to be protected and maintained.
KLDA said the line poses damage to the existing road networks that include Ngong Road, linked roads, roundabouts and intersections based on the observations of experience such as unaddressed damage to stretches of Mombasa road in the aftermath of the Expressway.
The association says the proposed line will cause difficulty for many residents such as Miotoni, Windy Ridge, Tree Lane, Ololua residents, Mwitu estate, Karen Ngong View Estate and many others.
The association says the construction and operation of the project will destroy various commercial, educational, residential and religious facilities.
The association says the ESIA report provided by the consultants and KRC is overly generic and theoretical and fails to detail specific negative environmental and social impacts likely to affect the residents, neighbourhood and the environment.
Other challenges flagged by the association include noise, air and dust pollution.
KLDA cites concerns raised during a stakeholder meeting held at St. Christopher International School on April 12, 2024.
The association says the construction of the proposed commuter railway line started without proper consultation with the affected communities as per the legal framework.
“The presence of the residents in the meeting did not mean an approval of the project however it was an informative meeting to understand the proposed projects and the anticipated impacts.”
KLDA said it requested that Kenya Railways minutes be shared with the association for review and signing by the committee on behalf of the residents.
“It was agreed that the consultants and KRC would convene a second meeting after sharing the information on the development for a comprehensive response and comments by Karen residents which has not been done,” KLDA says.
KLDA says there is a lack of access to information even after writing to KRC and other agencies on May 2, 2024.
Some of the information that KLDA sought includes the feasibility study report, engineering plan and profile drawings, operation report, Environment and Social Impact Assessment Report, Social Impact assessment report and resettlement action plan.
KLDA says it wrote a follow-up letter to KRC on July 31 but there has been no communication.
The association says during the consultation meeting held in April, residents inquired about where the proposed railway line would affect residents and their properties as no prior communication had been shared.
Many landowners worry that the state may fail to compensate for their properties.
KLDA said the immediate need is to address transport issues by upgrading the Ngong Road from Karen Roundabout to Ngong saying the proposed railway could disrupt Ngong Road traffic, benefiting few commuters as road transport remains the primary option.
In another letter to KRC Managing Director Philip Mainga dated May 2, KLDA called for construction to cease until a proper stakeholder engagement process is undertaken as mandated by law.
“We therefore request Kenya Railways to fulfil due requirements that precede the commencement of such infrastructure projects including a feasibility study, engineering plans, environmental impact assessment, stakeholder engagement plan, resettlement action plans and grievance resolution mechanism.”
The letter is also copied to Kenya Urban Roads Authority, Nairobi County Governor’s office, Road CS, Nairobi Area Metropolitan Transport Authority and Nema.
KLDA insists that KRC publicly avail all documentation relating to the proposed project so that representatives of affected communities can give informed feedback and constructively participate in decisions on the final plan.
Already, KLDA has obtained conservatory orders stopping the project.