The volumes of cargo, 2m passengers and goods don't make economic sense. It's too early to have hauliers unhappy with the service. Will take 10 years or more to break even if at all. The theft by Chinese operators while still being paid officially is a very worrying trend but not at all surprising. Given the terms of the contract, isn't theft a major breach? In other places, this could have caused a major fallout, cancellation even. Kenya should spur macroeconomic growth in real terms (manufacturing, large-scale agriculture, value added industries) to create demand for SGR. Otherwise everyone will continue scrambling to steal peanuts until SGR becomes another rusting lunatic express.