Ruto urges critics to give him time as he opens Mombasa commuter rail

President William Ruto on Wednesday urged his critics to allow his administration time to deliver, saying Kenya cannot afford political sideshows.

Speaking during the commissioning of the Mombasa commuter rail service linking Mombasa terminus, Miritini and the central business district, Ruto said the country’s transformation will come through infrastructure and planning, not division.

The Sh6 billion project, which began in 2022, involved rehabilitating 17 kilometres of the metre gauge railway between Miritini and Mombasa Island, building modern passenger stations and constructing a 2.3 kilometre bridge across the Makupa Causeway.

Designed to link the Standard Gauge Railway terminus in Miritini with the central business district, the service offers “Park and Ride” and “Drop and Ride” options and is expected to carry about 4,000 passengers daily, easing congestion on Mombasa’s roads.

"We have those who don’t have hope with our country, they do not have trust in our capabilities, and I’m telling them, please give us time, stop abusing and dividing Kenyans. If we are united, we can take our country to a first world nation," noted Ruto.

He added, "Kenya is going to succeed and we are going to shame the enemies of our nation."

The remarks come amid an opposition campaign questioning the country’s direction.

The new commuter link is expected to cut travel costs between Miritini and the CBD from Sh800–Sh1,000 by taxi or Sh400 by matatu to Sh50.

It also aims to bridge the transport gap between the two points.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said Sh2.1 billion has been disbursed to the National Land Commission for compensation to residents displaced by the project.

Ruto also announced plans to launch the Sh4.1 billion expansion of Mombasa port by the end of the year and ongoing Sh65 billion talks with stakeholders for a special economic zone in the coastal region.