Kenya earns Sh7.54 billion by transporting cargo on SGR

Kenya earned Sh7.54 billion by transporting more than 3.25 million tonnes of cargo in the nine months to September, last year from the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), according to a news report by Daily Nation.

This makes the number of passengers dropped by almost 200,000 which is an indication that the train's restrictive schedule, stiff competition from bus companies and low-cost airlines could be eating into SGR's share of travelers.

The latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), provided by the Kenya Railways, shows SGR cargo earnings has doubled in the nine months, compared to its 2018 earnings which stood at Sh4.09 billion.

The income almost doubled in April last year, after Kenya Railways ended the promotional tariff and reverted to the charges it had agreed on with the Transport Ministry and the Kenya Ports Authority.

The charges traders are paying now are between Sh51,275 per 20-foot container and Sh70,000 for a 40-foot container which is double the promotional tariff of Sh25,000 per 20-foot container and Sh35,000 for a 40-foot container.

August was the highest-grossing month for Kenya Railways, earning Sh1.15 billion from the 430,450 tonnes it moved. On the other hand, February was the lowest-earning month, raking in Sh435.18 million.