Kenyans reap development rewards from new rail link

When former cabin crew member Kennedy Mugo told his friends and relatives that he was leaving his familiar Kenya Airways job to join a new train services company in town, many of them questioned his decision.

But Mugo was confident of his move. The services of the Chinese-operated Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway were due to start in a few months' time and he saw many opportunities in that rollout. He had worked in the airline industry for five years and was ready for a new challenge. He saw a bright future offered by the major rail link.

Mugo now works at the Nairobi Terminus passenger service management office and he is proud that he made the decision. The job is more fulfilling and stable, Mugo said. He has also gained more skills and the opportunities for career development are immense, he said.