Nairobi — There was joy and relief at the Syokimau Standard Gauge Railways terminus on Sunday after Pwani University students who were stranded at the facility got help after intervention by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
The 73 students who were among the survivors of the tragic Naivasha road accident that claimed 18 students spent Saturday night in the cold at the Syokimau SGR station after the management of Pwani University failed to offer them transportation from Nairobi.
The Pwani University students were on their way to Kilifi from Egerton University but were stranded at the SGR in Nairobi.
The students were at Egerton University in Nakuru after the tragic Thursday accident in Kayole, Naivasha.
The accident took place as they headed to their Chepkoilel campus for events by the Kenya Universities Sports Association (Kusa). According to the students, they left Egerton at 5pm on Saturday and arrived at the SGR in Nairobi minutes past 10pm, only to find that their train had left.
Speaking at Syokimau SGR station after intervening to rescue the students, Sonko appreciated the last-minute efforts by the institution to offer the students transport after he made emergency calls to rescue the stranded students.
“I posted on my official twitter account requesting to help the students who were stranded at the SGR terminus and I had to rush there following a delay by the institution to offer them transport to Mombasa. But I’m happy the students are finally on the way to their destinations after the Kenya Railways management accepted a request by Pwani University to transport the students on credit,” said Sonko.
Sonko offered the students pocket money and transport from Mombasa to their final destinations.
“I wish the students a safe journey and also quick recovery to some of them who were admitted in Naivasha after the Thursday accident. We also mourn the death of the 18 students from Pwani University,” added Sonko while seeing off the students.
Kenya Universities Students Organisation (KUSO) President Antony Manyara who joined Sonko while seeing off the students thanked Sonko for intervening to rescue the students.
“We thank Mike Sonko for rescuing the comrades who were stranded at Syokimau because of lack of transport,” stated Manyara.
Sonko has also offered to pay the medical fees of the Pwani University students who are still admitted in hospital after the Thursday accident.
Source: All Africa
