In a hard-hitting new documentary, seasoned journalist Edwin Okoth unearths the real impact of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) on the country’s trucking sector.
Okoth’s investigative work explores how the SGR—intended as a groundbreaking infrastructure boost from Nairobi to Mombasa—has led to unexpected disruptions for truck drivers and related businesses.
The documentary highlights key clauses in the contract between Kenya and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), revealing the railway’s designed role as the primary mode for transporting goods from Mombasa’s port to inland Kenya. Since the SGR’s first phase was launched in 2017, significant shifts have emerged. A government policy in 2018 made it mandatory for all containerized cargo arriving at Mombasa’s port to be transported exclusively via the SGR. This mandate has contributed to the closure of over 10,000 trucking businesses, affecting thousands of truck drivers, loaders, and affiliated service providers who have struggled to adapt to the changing landscape.
Many truck drivers recount the challenges they’ve faced as the SGR transformed their livelihoods, portraying the widespread economic ripple effect on the broader business community.
Reflecting on his findings, Okoth states: “The negative impact felt by the business community and the truck drivers underlines the importance of proper public participation before such mega projects are rolled out. Kenya should take the lessons from the SGR seriously and avoid a similar mistake in such projects in the future.”
Okoth is not new to investigating the SGR; he has extensively reported on the SGR contract in Kenyan media and developed his expertise in China-Africa relations in his MA thesis at Columbia University in 2018.
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His documentary underscores the need for sustainable decisions that balance infrastructural growth with the livelihoods of those directly affected.