Muslims for Human Rights [MUHURI] board chairman Khelef Khalifa caused a stir during a forum between stakeholders in the transport industry and a government delegation held in Mombasa county.

Khelef, who sat pensively throughout the meeting chaired by East African community (EAC) Principal Secretary Kevit Desai, came into the picture when Desai was winding up his remarks and thanking those who attended the forum.

Deputy Director in the ministry Patrick Wakhungu and his colleagues Charles Ngunjiri and acting integration secretary Alice Yalla were caught flatfooted when Khelef fiercely criticized the government.

The Muhuri board chairman cautioned the government against taking stakeholders in the transporter sector for granted after undermining their business through the standard gauge railway [SGR] freight service between Nairobi and Mombasa.

Khelef took the government head on at the forum by accusing it of constructing the SGR at the expense of taxpayers yet the old railway line still exists to date.

He said the old railway line stretches from Mombasa to Malaba.

“The SGR project is against the World Bank’s blue print and it would have cost less than what the government has spent for it’s construction,” he pointed out.

Khelef dismissed Desai’s remarks that there has been cooperation between the central government and the transport industry on matters pertaining to the transport business.

He spoke during a meeting between transporters and a government delegation held at the Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) headquarters in Mvita constituency, Mombasa county.

He said the refurbishment of the old railway between Mombasa and Nairobi would have cost the government less than Sh 100 billion according to a World Bank blue print.

“The refurbishment of the old railway line would not have cost the government money to pay compensation land which the SGR project took,” he pointed out.

The Muhuri boss insisted the constitution of the SGR was done without adhering to the law of public participation.

He said the government had no business constructing the SGR at expense of taxpayers as the old railway line still exists.

“There is no point of the government doing a lot of public relation work on the SGR while the county is sinking,” he added.

The Muhuri board chairman lashed at the government for taking away the county’s logistics and services which part of its natural harbor.

He said the government took way the county’s transport and other related businesses which provided employment to county residents after building the SGR and letting the county sink economically.

“Its perturbing to hear a lot of sweet words from the government when they don’t care what is happening to the economic activities in the county,” he pointed out.

The Muhuri boss added that the private sector had invested in several projects due to the existence of the port of Mombasa but everything has gone to waste.

He accused the government of creating another investment project far away from the port of Mombasa at the expense of taxpayers.

“It would have been better for the government to put super three lines at a cheaper price from Mombasa to Malaba instead of constructing the SGR,” he pointed out.