Commuters using the CBD-Makadara- Imara Daima –Syokimau train were on Thursday evening forced to look for alternative means of getting home after Kenya Railways made a last minute cancellation of the trip.
The 7.20pm train developed mechanical problem and commuters who were already sitted inside the coaches were asked to be patient for 30 minutes as the issues were being addressed.
The train announcer said another locomotive was expected at the station from Makadara hence the passengers waited patiently.
However, minutes later it was announced that those passengers who could not wait were free to collect their fare refunds from the Kenya Raiways ticket attendants to seek other means and half of the passengers exited the train.
“The 7.20 pm commuter train will delay for about 30 minutes as we wait for another locomotive from Makadara. Those passengers who are in a hurry are kindly requested to collect the refund from the station cashiers,” the train announcer said.
The scheduled commuter train was later cancelled and all passengers forced to look for alterative means of transport.
Long queues were observed at the cashier’s booth as passengers scrambled to get their refunds and catch the next matatu or bus home from the nearby terminus.
The passengers could be heard loudly lamenting on why the Syokimau train has recently been developing mechanical issues and inconveniencing hundreds of people yet the firm collects millions of shillings from the service.
“Why do we keep having the same problem every day? Buy new locomotives with all the money you make from the thousands of passengers who use the train every day,” An angry passenger told one of the cashiers.
The police officers manning the station were also on standby as the agitated passengers also complained about the slow process of returning their fares.
On January 29 morning, scores of passengers were left stranded after the Syokimau-Imara Daima-Makadara-CBD commuter train stalled while making its way to Imara Daima station from the Nairobi terminal.
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