Members of the Public Petitions Committee, led by Turbo MP and Committee Vice-Chair, Hon. Janet Sitienei, have criticized Africa Star Railway Operation Company (Afristar) for its continued refusal to appear before the committee.
Afristar ignored a second summons to answer questions regarding a petition on the management of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) services, drawing disapproval from MPs.
The petition, filed by Mr. Amos Nyasani, urged the National Assembly to investigate the operations of the SGR, raising concerns about the lack of transparency in revenue collection for both passenger and freight services.
The SGR, which connects Mombasa, Nairobi, and Suswa, has faced public scrutiny over its financial management since its inception.
Afristar, the company responsible for operating and maintaining the SGR, was invited to appear before the committee alongside Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) to respond to the issues raised in the petition.
However, Afristar declined the invitation, stating that KRC, as its parent company and the official agency overseeing operations, should be the one to address the committee.
Afristar’s General Manager, Mr. Li Jiuping, defended the company’s decision in a letter, explaining that it was KRC’s responsibility to respond to the committee, as they oversee the railway operations.
“Kenya Railways is the responsible agency for the operations, and as the owner of our company, it is their responsibility to speak on the matter,” Mr. Jiuping stated.
However, committee members were dissatisfied with Afristar’s stance. Vihiga MP, Hon. Kivai Kagesi, emphasized that the committee had specific questions for each invited agency.
“It is not the position of the management of Afristar to pre-empt which questions we are going to ask and dictate what trajectory our investigation should take,” Hon. Kagesi said.
The committee resolved to extend one final invitation to Afristar before considering more severe measures to compel the company to appear and provide the necessary clarifications.
Afristar’s repeated disregard for the committee’s invitations has raised questions about the transparency and accountability of Kenya’s long-haul railway operations.
The final decision on how to proceed now lies with the Public Petitions Committee, as they weigh their options in holding Afristar accountable for its role in managing the SGR.
