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Kenya: China petitioned to stop building railway in park

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Environmental and wildlife campaigners gather to march to the Chinese embassy in the capital Nairobi, Kenya Monday, Oct. 17, 2016. The protesters are angry that part of the Chinese-funded Nairobi to Mombasa railway line is due to cross the Nairobi National Park and surrounding areas. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

NAIROBI, Kenya – About 300 peaceful protesters marched to the Chinese embassy in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to urge the Chinese government not to build a railway across the Nairobi National Park and surrounding areas.

Kenya is redoing its railway line from Nairobi to the port city of Mombasa, and the line would cross over the park as it approaches the town of Naivasha, where the government wants to construct an industrial hub.

The Chinese funded project would cross 6 kilometres (4 miles) of the park and environmental groups have vowed to fight it. Sydney Quntai, who spoke Monday on behalf of the peaceful protesters including conservation groups, said the construction of the railway through the park was a guise to grab land.

He said there are six other routes that are viable.

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