MUTUNGA: Rebirth of the thrills of the night ‘Lunatic Express’

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They called it the iron snake—and the prophets saw it long before it came. Masaku of the Akamba, Mwea Mwenda of the Aembu, Mugo wa Kibiru of the Agikuyu, Orkoiyot of the Nandi, and the renowned Syokimau all foretold its coming.

On May 30, 1896, the prophecy came alive. The British began building the Kenya–Uganda Railway, carving through mountains and valleys in pursuit of empire.

The railway’s construction was madness and marvel combined. More than 32,000 Indian workers faced disease, wild beasts, and hostile terrain.

The lions of Tsavo feasted, tropical fevers burned, and by 1901, 2,500 workers were gone—victims of what Charles Miller later called The Lunatic Express.

Those who rode it remember the rhythm: the hum of the wheels, the whispers of night, the snores, the crying babies, the smell of oil and dust. Writer Greg Kelsey captured it in Kenya’s Lunatic Line:

“It’s not an easy night’s sleep… The train lurches between speed and stillness. The countryside stretches wide with zebra and wildebeest. Locals board with boxes of clucking chickens.”

For years, that music went silent. Then, in December 2021, the whistle blew again. The Kisumu Safari Train returned—reborn and alive.

For nearly four years now, it has faithfully made its night journey to the lakeside city, its lights cutting through the darkness, its wheels singing the old song.

The route still holds its stories. The night begins in Nairobi, the familiar scents of Kibera fading as the train dives into the Uplands tunnel.

It emerges into the Rift Valley, gliding across Kedong plains—the scene of the 1895 caravan massacre—and winds through Maai Mahiu and Mbaruk, where passengers drift into dreams.

By the time they awaken, the train is pulling into Nakuru Station, still majestic with its 80-pillared platform built for the settlers’ pride.

Beyond Nakuru, it rolls through Nandi county, where the spirit of Koitalel Arap Samoei lingers—a reminder of resistance and betrayal.

The cold night air seeps in as the train hums toward Muhoroni, Chemelil, and Kibigori, and when dawn breaks over Lake Victoria, hearts swell with quiet joy.