How 'one term' chants stopped SGR train
Coast
By
Standard Team
| Jul 08, 2025
Fears that hundreds of youthful passengers from a festival in Diani, Kwale County, could turn chaotic led to the cancellation of the Sunday 10pm Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train.
Security sources confided in The Standard that the decision to cancel the Madaraka Express train service was arrived at by the National Security Council late on Sunday.
The sources said security agents established that the Summer Tide festival held at Diani attracted hundreds of the youths who planned to arrive in Nairobi on Monday morning.
The Summer Tide, organised by the son of a prominent government official working at State House, attracted hundreds of youths from across the country.
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At the festival, chants of ‘one term’ and ‘Ruto must go’ rent the air, sparking fears in security circles that the youth could join the Saba Saba anniversary demos on arrival in Nairobi on Monday morning.
On Monday, Mombasa County Commissioner Mohamed Noor confirmed that SGR services were cancelled due to safety concerns. The services resumed on Monday at 10am.
Standard Gauge Railway increased the wagons of Makadara Express to transport the extra passengers who were forced to sleep on the cold slabs at the Miritini terminal.
Noor did not elaborate on the security concerns that forced KR to suspend the train services but revealed the decision was communicated to them on Sunday evening.
“It was cancelled because of security concerns,” said Noor, who is also the chairman of the Mombasa County Security Committee.
Police also barricaded the Dongo Kundu road interchange to stop the youth from the festival from entering Mombasa Island.
Vehicles that carried the youth from Diani were forced to head to the SGR terminal, ostensibly to stop crowds from swelling in Mombasa.
Passengers affected by KR’s decision to cancel the night trains were forced to seek other means of transport, with buses and minibuses doubling the fare to Nairobi.
Along the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway, the police set up the roadblocks at the Bonje area in Changamwe and subjected all motorists to thorough checkups, leading to long snarl-ups.
“I planned to arrive in Nairobi in the morning to catch a plane to Kisumu. But I’ve now been forced to use the minibus at inflated fare. It is a big inconvenience,” said Jane Kahiri, an SGR passenger.
In a notice dated 6/2025, KR managing director Mr. Philip Mainga said the services were suspended due to technical issues.
“We regret to notify members of the public that due to technical issues, the Madaraka Express 10pm passenger train from Mombasa to Nairobi has been suspended. Kenya Railways prioritises the safety of our passengers. We apologise for any inconveniences,” said the notice.
Nelly Kaloki, protested that she would be inconvenienced following the suspension of the Madaraka Express, adding that it amounted to a violation of the freedom of movement.
“I was inconvenienced. The government owes us an explanation,” she protested.
Meanwhile, police sources said six youths were arrested for trying to incite others to join protests.
In a press conference at the Independent Oversight Policing Authority offices in Mombasa, activists said President William Ruto had lost legitimacy to lead the country.
Led by Evans Mitoli, James Ogare, and Edwin Shamir, the activists said they will not relent in fighting for the rights of the youth. They said it was time for a transition government.
[Report by Willis Oketch, Patrick Beja, Philip Mwakio and Joackim Bwana]