Kenya Railways suspends 10PM Madaraka Express over technical fault

The decision, communicated through a public notice on Sunday evening, affects passengers scheduled to travel on the night service along the busy Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) route.

In the statement, Kenya Railways emphasized that passenger safety remains its top priority and that the move was made out of an abundance of caution.

“We regret to notify members of the public that due to technical issues, the Madaraka Express 10PM passenger train from Mombasa to Nairobi has been suspended,” read part of the notice signed by the Managing Director. 

Kenya Railways apologized for the inconvenience caused and did not provide immediate details on the nature of the technical problem or when the service is expected to resume.

Travellers are advised to seek updates through official Kenya Railways communication channels.

The suspension comes amid heightened travel disruptions earlier in the day.

A major traffic snarl-up was witnessed Saturday afternoon along the Mombasa-Diani Road, just metres from the Dongo Kundu bypass, after police mounted roadblocks targeting youths returning from the Diani Summer Tide Festival. 

Motorists travelling from Kwale County en route to Nairobi via the SGR were caught in the gridlock as police launched a sweeping security operation to inspect vehicles ferrying groups of young festival-goers.

The operation, which began shortly after midday, led to significant delays, with some travellers missing the scheduled 3:00 PM SGR train to Nairobi. 

Eyewitnesses said traffic came to a complete standstill as officers conducted thorough searches on each vehicle, sparking frustration among commuters. 

Authorities reportedly acted on intelligence suggesting that some youths aboard the vehicles—many of whom were heard chanting "Wantam"—were planning to travel to Nairobi to join the upcoming Saba Saba commemoration on Monday.

While no arrests have been confirmed, police maintained that the checks were necessary to ensure public safety ahead of the politically sensitive date. 

The Diani Summer Tide Festival, an annual beachside event, had drawn hundreds of revellers over the weekend.