Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) through National Park:

o. 32 Will the Iconic Park Survive? N Sebastian Mwanza & Catherine Chumo ssue

I Africa Network for Animal Welfare,

1 Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) through Nairobi National Park: Will the Iconic Park Survive?

Sebastian Mwanza & Catherine Chumo, Africa Network for Animal Welfare, Kenya

A UN Environment Beyond a fenced strip that snakes across Nairobi National publication series that Park (NNP), construction work is under way for a multi-pillared presents views from Major structure being built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation Groups and Stakeholders (CRBC). In the middle of the 117 km2 of wilderness, large of Civil Society or about issues that are relevant swathes of land are being cleared; the ground vibrates as long for them. PERSPECTIVES drills penetrate the earth and rocks are blasted. The line of is coordinated by UN more than 200 workers and tall cranes lifting tons of cement Environment’s Civil Society and sand dominate the landscape. The loud noise of trucks Unit. The presented views moving to and fro provides a stark contrast to the surrounding are entirely those of serenity. This is the bird’s-eye view of the Nairobi National Park the authors and do not necessarily reflect the today. The view of the ongoing construction speaks volumes views of UN Environment. about the environmental concerns it raises. The debate around this project hippos, dik-diks and elands, hiding has largely been characterized behind bushes, in the , Civil Society Unit by endless cloak and dagger in dams, jumping over fences and Governance Affairs Office politics. Few government crossing the dusty roads. UN Environment projects in the recent past have attracted such intense media More than 100 species of civil.society@ coverage. Phase 2A through the mammals, over 60 species of unenvironment.org Nairobi National Park has been reptiles and amphibians, and web.unenvironment.org/ a subject of heated discussion more than 500 species of plants about/majorgroups/ among conservationists and and birds live in the park today. environmentalists, as the The NNP covers an area of effects of the construction on 117 km2 and is an important the park and its biodiversity source of revenue for both become apparent. Nairobi and the country. It is one of the few protected areas The Nairobi National Park in the world that houses such (NNP) a diversity of species. As ’s oldest park, Nairobi The well-maintained main National Park is experiencing the entrance gives way to dusty roads that open out into the wide and beautiful savannah dotted with acacia trees and More than 100 species of wild grazing animals. On a drive through the park it is possible to mammals, over 60 species spot giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, of reptiles and amphibians, , rhinos, , and more than 500 species buffalos, , grants , of plants and birds live in Cover photo: Marco Pruiksma Thompsons gazelles, ostriches, the park today.

2 Human developments overshadowing our “natural” environments. Photo: Marco Pruiksma greatest rate of encroachment endangered status, the number since its inception in 1946. remains undisclosed. It is one A modern railway now winds of the top five most-visited The Governments of through the middle of the parks in Kenya, attracting over Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda iconic park. The park acts as 150,000 visitors a year. Indeed, and South Sudan have a carbon sink and provides it is the second most-popular committed to providing critical ecosystem services. destination for school visits, a high‑capacity, cost- The beautiful landscapes within after the National effective railway the park consist of savannah, Reserve, and is a valuable transport network within woodlands, gorges, wetlands resource for educational and forests. purposes and for generating the northern corridor. much-needed income for the Located in the northern- (KWS) corridor — a multimodal trade most part of the Athi-Kapiti and the country. route linking the landlocked ecosystem, the world's greatest economies of Uganda, Rwanda, city park is located seven kms Standard Gauge Railway — Burundi and Eastern DRC, as from the central business district well as a route between South The China-funded modern of Nairobi. Nairobi National Sudan and the Kenyan maritime Park is home to four of the railway to replace the seaport of . ‘Big Five’ — lions, , 100‑year ‘Lunatic Express’ and buffalos. Only In pursuit of this goal, the the elephant is missing; they To spur economic growth within Governments of Kenya and were relocated to reduce human- the East African region, the Uganda signed a memorandum wildlife conflict and because the Governments of Kenya, Uganda, of understanding (MoU) in park is too small to support a Rwanda and South Sudan October 2009 to construct a population of elephants. A game have agreed to construct a new railway from Mombasa to count, conducted by Friends modern railway to serve the four . A tripartite agreement of Nairobi National Park in countries; they have committed was then signed by the February 2018, found 18 lions, to providing a high-capacity, Governments of Kenya, Uganda 396 buffalos, 1 and cost-effective railway transport and Rwanda in August 2013 to several rhinos. Due to the rhino’s network within the northern fast-track the development of

3 the railway to their respective options for revamping the The first phase is complete capital cities. current track, and a fourth more and is now operational; it was expensive option to build a new officially inaugurated by Kenya’s The four countries then resolved one. Kenya decided on the latter. President, Uhuru Kenyatta, on to expedite construction of May 30-31, 2017, for both freight a high-capacity, high-speed At the same time, the Chinese and passenger services. Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Government was funding railway for passenger and freight constructions in other African The new rail has shortened transportation. They signed countries. In 2011, Kenya signed passenger travel times from and ratified a protocol for a MoU with the CRBC to build Mombasa to Nairobi from more the development of the SGR the controversial SGR from than ten hours to a little over connecting the port of Mombasa Mombasa to Nairobi. The mega four hours. Freight trains now to Kampala, and Juba. project, a flagship of Kenya’s complete the journey in less than Each country is to develop the Vision 2030 development eight hours. section of the railway line within agenda, would cost the country its own borders. a whopping $3.6 billion (at least) The ambitious plan will see upon completion. It remains the a railway network spanning The justification for largest and the most expensive the whole of Kenya, from the Kenya’s SGR infrastructure project in Kenya Indian Ocean port of Mombasa since independence in 1964. to the capital of Nairobi, and In the 2000s, Kenya's colonial- onwards to Uganda, Rwanda and era metre-gauge railways Financing was finalized in May South Sudan — connecting the deteriorated due to lack of 2014, with the of region’s economies. maintenance of the tracks, trains China extending a loan for up and wagons. By 2016, passenger to 90 per cent of the project The problematic Phase 2 trains were taking 24 hours to costs and the remaining 10 per travel from Nairobi to Mombasa, cent coming from the Kenyan Phase 1 is complete; but it is the a far cry from the 12-hour Government. For economic, ongoing Phase 2, from Nairobi journey of the early 1990s. social and political reasons, it to the Ugandan border town Freight transported from the port was decided that more than of Malaba, that has attracted of Mombasa fell from 4.8 million 30,000 Kenyans would be hired controversy for its proposed tons in the 1980s to 1.5 million to work on the railway. route through the NNP. tons in 2012. In 2014, the Consortium, It was agreed the train would Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city, is the railway operator in Kenya use a diesel engine, with the one of the continent’s fastest and Uganda, reported a loss of possibility of upgrading to growing cities. The proximity US$1.5 million. By 2017, only an electrified system in the of the NNP to the capital has half of Kenya's metre-gauge future. Multiple unit passenger subjected the park to intense railways remained in operation. trains will have a capacity pressure from infrastructural As a result, there is an urgent of 960 passengers and are development, with encroachment need for a modern railway to expected to travel at an average from all sides: roads, railways, transport passengers safely and speed of 120 km/h, while factories and houses. rapidly to their destinations and the cargo trains will travel get freight off the road. at 80 km/h. The plan to route the railway through a slice of the park, A World Bank report in The Kenyan part of the modern first leaked in December 2013 suggested four ways of rail network is to be constructed 2015, caused a huge outcry upgrading the railway: three from Mombasa to Malaba, some on social media. The Kenya 962 km apart, in two phases: Railways Corporation (KRC) backtracked on that particular Phase 1: (472 km): Mombasa – route, but it never ruled out a It remains the largest Nairobi path through the park altogether. and the most expensive It subsequently allowed the plan infrastructure project in Kenya Phase 2: (490 km): Nairobi – to go ahead. since independence in 1964. Malaba; further divided into three sub-phases: The Kenyan Government came Financing was finalized in May under intense criticism for • Phase 2A: (120 km): 2014, with the Exim Bank of allowing the railway to pass Nairobi –Naivasha China extending a loan for up through the iconic park. Kenya’s to 90 per cent of the project • Phase 2B: (262 km): Ministry of Transport, through costs and the remaining Naivasha – the KRC, contracted a firm to 10 per cent coming from • Phase 2C: (107 km): conduct an Environmental and the Kenyan Government. Kisumu –Malaba Social Impact Assessment

4 marched through the streets 5. Tourists visit the NNP to view to express their disapproval. wildlife and enjoy the outdoor At no point were any Some protestors chained experience. One of the main options that completely themselves to the park gates, attractions of the park is that avoided the NNP ever while others delivered petitions it is within easy access from considered, contradicting to the President, Parliament, the Nairobi. The construction Environmental and Social Chinese Embassy, KRC, NEMA and operation of the railway Impact Assessment (ESIA) and KWS. Local and international threatens the future of tourism within the park. The relatively global best practices. This media was awash with reports of the proposed development. small size of the NNP means is a fundamental flaw in the that many of the visitors to the ESIA — all alignment options Petitioners’ concerns park would likely pass under would have an impact on the or near the railway, detracting park and its wildlife. 1. The park is a protected from the experience of being area, gazetted on December in the wild. Furthermore, the (ESIA), as required by Kenyan 6, 1946 and as such, the potential decline of wildlife law. It was upon the release of railway should give way to populations and possible this report that criticism by civil the park, not the other way extinction of some species society and environmentalists around. It ought to have would further reduce the broke out. There was a public first been degazetted as the number of visitors to the NNP, outcry all over the country and constitution prescribes. who would likely choose to from abroad, urging the National visit other parks elsewhere in Environment Management 2. The project sets a bad Kenya or Africa. Authority (NEMA) — the licensing precedent that will affect authority — not to issue the all of Kenya’s parks and Environmental and Social Kenya Railway Corporation reserves, forests and Impact Assessment (ESIA) with a licence to build the SGR other areas of national Report through the park. The findings heritage. Furthermore, these and recommendations of the developments will affect The Kenyan Government report where described by ESIA other African countries, commissioned an ESIA of experts as dubious and ‘cooked’, who look up to Kenya as the proposed railway, which giving in to pressure to opt for a positive role model for considered seven different the predetermined route through wildlife preservation and alignment options from Nairobi, the park. environmental conservation. all of which impacted the nearby NNP to some extent. Environmental protests 3. Kenya has lobbied internationally for global Five options, as shown in the While the importance of the SGR support for the conservation map, pass through the NNP, to Kenya’s economy is widely of wildlife, the environment while 1 and 7 pass along its recognized, many individuals and a halt to climate perimeter, but still within the and conservation groups change. This proposal park. The ESIA did not consider argued that, regardless of any would significantly damage any options that bypassed the proposed mitigations in the ESIA Kenya’s international image park completely. report to reduce the negative as one of the world leaders impact on wildlife, the SGR in conservation. Furthermore, the ESIA correctly should not have been allowed to identified the significant risk of cross the Nairobi National Park 4. Conservationists and the railway to the biodiversity in the first place. concerned organizations and conservation efforts within mooted alternative routes for the NNP and highlighted the Indeed, thousands of Kenyans the SGR, one of which involved critical need to ensure that the from all walks of life (children, re-routing the railway via railway does not impact on the community leaders, experts, Konza or the Athi River, park or its wildlife. Each of the engineers, industrialists, south of the park. If adopted, alignments was evaluated for residents of Nairobi, it would define Kenya as international organizations and a leading conservationist even funding partners) protested in Africa: a country that against the proposal for the achieves development while construction of the SGR through protecting the environment. This proposal would the Nairobi National Park when While it would have cost significantly damage it was first announced. These more money, it would have Kenya’s international groups challenged the decision saved the park from the image as one of the world in the Kenyan courts and looming destruction. leaders in conservation.

5 their impacts and a preferred ESIA report did not alignment was selected. sufficiently justify the building of the SGR Firstly, there are no examples In the end, alignment/option through the NNP anywhere in the world of four was selected. At no major railways being built point were any options that ESIA experts all seemed to within nationally significant completely avoided the NNP ever agree that there were grave nature reserves once the considered, contradicting ESIA deficiencies in the report, and area has been declared global best practices. This is a that it misinformed NEMA, a national park. fundamental flaw in the ESIA — giving it a green light for the SGR all alignment options would Phase 2 across the park. The impacts on wildlife. These have an impact on the park and justification for the route and the its wildlife. examples should not be used proposed mitigation measures to justify the construction of a to reduce the negative impact For the Government’s preferred commuter and freight railway on wildlife and environment, through a national park. route – the modified savannah were not convincing. route (Option 4) — the proposed Secondly, there were numerous design was a single line bridge Firstly, there are no examples examples of underpasses 18 metres above the ground, anywhere in the world of major cited by the ESIA from North across the entire 6kms of the railways being built within America, Western Europe or park. It would begin 8 metres nationally significant nature Australia; unfortunately, there from the park edge at the reserves once the area has is no specific information on northern gate and continue been declared a national park. the rate of use of underpasses for 41 kms on exiting the park Railways similar to the SGR by the species within the to the south. The foundations, running through the NNP are NNP. Only one wildlife built on pillars 4 by 4 metres primarily tourist railways, such underpass in Africa has been wide, would be dug deep as in the Grand Canyon National monitored for use by wildlife into the ground to reduce Park and the World Heritage area and published in a scientific blog vibrations from the trains as of Queensland (The Kuranda (Journal of Applied Ecology). they pass over the bridge. Railway) and are not commuter This underpass is used by The design, according to the or freight lines. Tourist or scenic elephants and passes under contractor, would also include railways are typically slower and the A2 Highway near Mt Kenya. deflectors to reduce the impact less frequently used than regular Therefore, there is no reliable of noise pollution. railways, with fewer negative basis for assuming that all,

7 Alignments/Options proposed for SGR Phase 2A through the NNP. Photo by Kenya Railways

6 Photo: Marco Pruiksma many or some of the animals being paved. This ‘effect-zone’ is a to be effective. Relying on in the NNP will pass under the useful way of assessing the size of train drivers to operate these proposed railway. the area that could be affected by detection and deterrent systems the proposed linear infrastructure is also prone to failure as Thirdly, the fragmentation of and is particularly useful for complacency sets in over time. habitat is one of the primary assessing and comparing different drivers of the decline and alignment options. Therefore, the Recommendations extinction of biodiversity size of the area within the NNP globally. Studies of daily and that would be affected by the The ESIA claimed on numerous seasonal migration of wildlife in railway for all alignments is likely occasions that the alignment of and around the NNP should have to be significantly higher than the railway along the boundary been undertaken to investigate those given in the ESIA, which only of the park would have a greater where animals crossed each quantifies the size of the area to ecological impact than an of the proposed alignments. be cleared. alignment through the park. In line with international best However, it is recognized global practice — the precautionary Fifthly, in areas outside the best practice that: principle — the consequences for NNP, the report proposes the wildlife if the railway becomes a use of electronic whistles and 1. It is preferable to locate barrier to movement should have lights on the front of trains multiple types of linear been discussed in more detail or stationary systems along infrastructure within the same before the route was decided. the track to detect and deter corridor, rather than have wildlife. There is little evidence multiple corridors; Fourthly, it is a well-documented that such deterrent systems fact that the effects of linear are effective — either because 2. It is always best to avoid infrastructure such as roads and of background noise and other placing infrastructure within railways can extend far beyond the disturbances, or because, in the high-value conservation infrastructure itself. A landmark long term, the wildlife becomes areas and; study showed that between 15 per habituated to the deterrents. cent and 22 per cent of continental Furthermore, there are numerous 3. When disruption is USA was affected by roads, technical challenges that must unavoidable, it is always better despite only 1 per cent of the area be overcome for such systems to place infrastructure around

7 the edges of conservation through the middle. This is Conclusion areas, rather than through because the effects that extend the middle. out from the development Infrastructure development only affect the habitat in one is critical to the economic Avoiding high-value wilderness direction. Furthermore, if the growth of Kenya and the region. or conservation areas should development presents a barrier Because of its proximity to the be the first option considered to animal movement, it should capital and the relatively low when planning for infrastructure not split the park into two areas; costs, the route through the development. The first road rather it should keep the original Nairobi National Park offered or railway through such areas area intact (as far as possible), an easy option. But as the leads to a host of significant with only small tracts of land review of the Environmental deleterious impacts, including split off from the main area. Impact Assessment shows, weed invasion, increased This is particularly critical in the specifically the analysis of and hunting, further NNP because of its relatively the seven options, there were development, changes to animal small size. alternative routes, but these behaviour, etc. The proposed were completely ignored by the railway through the NNP and Route options 1 and 7 are much proponents of the project. other natural areas along the more in line with best practice route will inevitably result in (above) than options 2 to 6. An Now that SGR Phase 2A is some of these negative impacts alternative alignment completely under way, it is imperative that and should therefore have outside the park, potentially to mitigation measures are strictly been avoided. the south, would avoid all these adhered to in order to safeguard impacts, and should have been the wildlife and ecosystems In situations where important included in the ESIA report. of Nairobi National Park for wildlife habitats cannot Furthermore, the upgrading future generations. be avoided entirely, it is of the existing railway line generally preferable to place (i.e. using the same alignment developments around the in part or in whole), should have edge of the habitat, rather than been considered in more detail.

Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) is a Pan-African non- governmental organization which works to sustain animals as sentient beings through showing them compassion, care and appreciation. We do this by influencing policy, community empowerment, advocacy and attitude change. Our mission is to work with communities, governments, partners and other stakeholders across Africa to promote humane treatment of all animals, with the vision of a world where people show compassion, protection, and care for all animals.