Anger after Transport PS Esther Koimett shares photos of the old trains Kenya has bought from Spain

Kenyans on Twitter on Monday morning reacted with anger after Transport PS Esther Koimett posted photos of the old trains that the government has bought from train in a multi-billion shilling deal.

Koimett shared the photos after media reports indicated her ministry had made a deal to purchase reconditioned Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) – some said to be as old as 25 years.

The Nation initially reported that the deal would cost taxpayers an approximated Sh10 billion including purchase and servicing the old trains.

Anger after Transport PS Esther Koimett shares photos of the old trains Kenya has bought from Spain Pulse Live Kenya

Sh135 million per train

However, Koimett downplayed the figure saying the 11 reconditioned trains would be bought at Sh1.5 billion, meaning each train will cost about Sh135 million.

She did not provide if there would be extra costs apart from purchasing price, but defended the deal saying the old trains still had a life capacity of an extra 25 years.

“These are the actual DMUs we are getting. Cost for the 11 DMUs is Ksh 1.5 billion NOT Ksh 10 billion. They should serve us for another 20 - 25 years. When the full complement is in they’ll enable us to transport around 132,000 people a day compared to the 13,000 we do today,” the PS stated.

Anger after Transport PS Esther Koimett shares photos of the old trains Kenya has bought from Spain Pulse Live Kenya

Koimett’s state, however, did little to contain the anger of Kenyans who were displeased with the deal.

The trains are being bought from a train operator in Barcelona who has upgraded to an electric infrastructure.

Many of those who responded ridiculed the CS with photos of old and dilapidated trains from developed countries which Kenya should also buy and refurbish.

Other commentators noted the irony of the government banning importation of cars exceeding five years from date of manufacture – only to buy trains that were manufactured in 1994.

Here are some of the comments: