Look like SGR is starting soon

[RV Pundit]

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I drove from Mombasa yesterday and the chinese are prepping themselves with site camps every couple of kms.

[RVtitem]

SGR is dead on arrival. A piece of steam technology with snail pace. we will be thinking about upgrading it on its inception.

It is not a wonder that they are installing second/third hand equipment.

[Omollo]

If only Jubilee believed in these projects and didn't have to use them as conduits to steal money, they would make a change. Sadly the Chinese are already operating on a deficit having already paid out kickbacks and now will take their time to complete it - if they ever do.

I suspect along the way, they will renegotiate.

[RV Pundit]

Thought it was a diesel engines. Like Omollos says the problem is corruption..projects are conceived primarily to fleece the tax payers.

SGR is dead on arrival. A piece of steam technology with snail pace. we will be thinking about upgrading it on its inception.

It is not a wonder that they are installing second/third hand equipment.

[Mintos]

I don't think it will start mpaka maybe next year. rememebr they are yet to bring in some 5k chinese eh? and also to sort out the lands issues in makueni, kajiado and machakos areas.  That muzungu guy of African Heritage House near Athi river is in court to stop the house from being demolished for teh line to pass through there.  Mambo mingi

[RV Pundit]

Chinese will stick to their timelines..so they might start moving the materials from china (i can imagine how much steel and cement they will use)...doing quary work..and prep work. They are nearly done with site camps. People along that route will benefit greatly from employment...small time contracts and the works.

I don't think it will start mpaka maybe next year. rememebr they are yet to bring in some 5k chinese eh? and also to sort out the lands issues in makueni, kajiado and machakos areas.  That muzungu guy of African Heritage House near Athi river is in court to stop the house from being demolished for teh line to pass through there.  Mambo mingi

[bryan275]

The real loss to our economy and industry is the importation of construction materials.  I suspect prefabrication will be carried out in china with final assembly taking place onsite.  Kenya is missing all value added opportunities that come with infrastructure projects.  Imagine the skills that would have been gained drawing the steel and specifying the required concrete mixes etc.

Chinese will stick to their timelines..so they might start moving the materials from china (i can imagine how much steel and cement they will use)...doing quary work..and prep work. They are nearly done with site camps. People along that route will benefit greatly from employment...small time contracts and the works.

I don't think it will start mpaka maybe next year. rememebr they are yet to bring in some 5k chinese eh? and also to sort out the lands issues in makueni, kajiado and machakos areas.  That muzungu guy of African Heritage House near Athi river is in court to stop the house from being demolished for teh line to pass through there.  Mambo mingi

[Robina]

Chinese usually quote for the work + profit + kickbacks. So once kick backs are paid off they really do the work to avoid tarnishing their name. That is why they are MUCH BETTER compared to Mugoya and other local thieves who have been crying foul. Of course it is also win-win for politicians since work is well done like Thika Road. The Chinese "when you go to Rome do as the Romans do" approach is really beating West to a pulp.

RVP, what do you make of criticism by likes of economist David Ndii who says Jubilee projects are not economically sound?

New railway is not value for money
http://mobile.nation.co.ke/blogs/New-railway-is-not-value-for-money-/-/1949942/2207034/-/format/xhtml/-/qupvukz/-/index.html

Of bullet trains and delusions of mega techno-cities
http://mobile.nation.co.ke/blogs/bullet-trains-delusions-mega-techno-cities/-/1949942/2450902/-/format/xhtml/-/uvvrq2z/-/index.html

[RV Pundit]

It really our problem.We have to build our own capacity. The chinese contractor job is to ensure he deliver the project on cost and on time.Definitely they will import most of steel...not sure if our juakali trained folks can be able to weld them together while adhering to standards.

The real loss to our economy and industry is the importation of construction materials.  I suspect prefabrication will be carried out in china with final assembly taking place onsite.  Kenya is missing all value added opportunities that come with infrastructure projects.  Imagine the skills that would have been gained drawing the steel and specifying the required concrete mixes etc.

[RV Pundit]

Yes chinese have figured out a model that works with Mwafrika. This project will be executed on time except for delays related to land acquisition and demolishing illegals ones.

Dr Ndii is tad bit pessimistic....he has been pessimistic for quite some time...apart from corruption..i support all these mega infrastructure projects.

Chinese usually quote for the work + profit + kickbacks. So once kick backs are paid off they really do the work to avoid tarnishing their name. That is why they are MUCH BETTER compared to Mugoya and other local thieves who have been crying foul. Of course it is also win-win for politicians since work is well done like Thika Road. The Chinese "when you go to Rome do as the Romans do" approach is really beating West to a pulp.

RVP, what do you make of criticism by likes of economist David Ndii who says Jubilee projects are not economically sound?

New railway is not value for money
http://mobile.nation.co.ke/blogs/New-railway-is-not-value-for-money-/-/1949942/2207034/-/format/xhtml/-/qupvukz/-/index.html

Of bullet trains and delusions of mega techno-cities
http://mobile.nation.co.ke/blogs/bullet-trains-delusions-mega-techno-cities/-/1949942/2450902/-/format/xhtml/-/uvvrq2z/-/index.html

[bryan275]

This is where we rely on our politicians to write into the contract clauses that promote apprenticeship and ring fences certain locally available materials.  We will need to have the capacity to repair and maintain these installations, otherwise we'll have to naturalise some chinese experts to continue with the repair and maintenance.  A complete dud.

We never can quite recoup our return on investment via usage only.

It really our problem.We have to build our own capacity. The chinese contractor job is to ensure he deliver the project on cost and on time.Definitely they will import most of steel...not sure if our juakali trained folks can be able to weld them together while adhering to standards.

The real loss to our economy and industry is the importation of construction materials.  I suspect prefabrication will be carried out in china with final assembly taking place onsite.  Kenya is missing all value added opportunities that come with infrastructure projects.  Imagine the skills that would have been gained drawing the steel and specifying the required concrete mixes etc.

[RV Pundit]

We will have to give chinese such a project.. a mean to project to promote local juakali and locally available materials..that will be new turn key project...anyway SGR is now done deal...we complained...and we were ignored..let hope it will turn out all right.

This is where we rely on our politicians to write into the contract clauses that promote apprenticeship and ring fences certain locally available materials.  We will need to have the capacity to repair and maintain these installations, otherwise we'll have to naturalise some chinese experts to continue with the repair and maintenance.  A complete dud.

We never can quite recoup our return on investment via usage only.

[bryan275]

111

[bryan275]

Pundit,

I am watching Milliband giving his elect me PM speech and he's delivered the following line to large corporations:

"We will not give you large scale contracts unless you offer our youngsters apprenticeships".

I think it is a reasonable request by a government before giving away free money. 

[George Lamming]

RVP: And projects are not.....even here in Merigha, that is how biashara is done....we don't call it corruption here....eeeeeh we reserve that term to Africa....here we call it lobbying, irregularities, laspse of judgement or other sexy terms...but at the end of day, that is how business is done, is it not?

Thought it was a diesel engines. Like Omollos says the problem is corruption..projects are conceived primarily to fleece the tax payers.

SGR is dead on arrival. A piece of steam technology with snail pace. we will be thinking about upgrading it on its inception.

It is not a wonder that they are installing second/third hand equipment.