Stop politics! Uhuru hits out at politicians while launching city depot

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged leaders to stop politics and focus on development.

"There is no need of going around making noise instead of bringing development to Kenyans," he said.

Speaking while opening the cargo transit shed linking the Embakasi Inland Container Depot to other counties on Tuesday, Uhuru said politicians should stop incitement.

"The people I am talking about know themselves. Let us facilitate our people and make their lives easier not complicated," he said.

"This was not a big issue. It is just a matter of taking up a problem and finding out a way. We must reform the way we provide services to our people."

Uhuru said doing ease of business should not only be about big businessmen but also small businesses.

"If any public servant is not content with the salary he is receiving from the government, he can leave it and start his own business," he said.

The President also directed NMS boss Badi to ensure that he puts CCTV cameras at the railway station.

"....so that I can see if you are harassing people. We are here for the people..," he said.

Uhuru said the project will help in creating employment for the youth.

"We started this cargo shed so as to find a way in which business people will be equal before the eyes of the government," the President said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta arrives at the Kenya Railways Transit Shed in Nairobi County./PSCU

"The containers which are now consolidated will be brought here and traders will now have easy access to them."

The President said the government will open other godowns should the need arise.

Uhuru instructed Kebs to charge 0.6 per cent of the total value of the container.

The President on Tuesday also launched the Nairobi Commuter Rail System consisting of new Diesel Mobile Units and Commuter Rail Buses.

The Nairobi Central Station will serve as the nerve centre of operations connecting to 10 stations in satellite towns, including newly built stations in Donholm and Pipeline.

The President said Kenyans lose Sh50 million daily due to traffic.

"The new commuter rail system will give our people a faster way of transport that will also be environmentally friendly," he said.

The rail system will be served by 11 DMUs which five were launched on Tuesday.

“No journey will take more than an hour to the CBD using the commuter rail system,’” Uhuru said.

The President said the next step will see the commuter rail be extended to JKIA.

"We are creating additional revenues for future commercialization and much needed record local economic recovery in areas, whose vast potential still remains untapped," he said.

The President was accompanied by CSs Ukur Yatani (Treasury), James Macharia (Transport) and Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director-General Mohammed Badi at the Nairobi Railway Station.

CS Macharia acknowledged the World Bank, noting it did the master plan.

“ This system is for residents in Nairobi who will have a seamless movement around the city,” he said.

Macharia noted that NMS has contributed effortlessly to ensure that the city decongestion becomes a reality.