Moyale Road to open up trade, says Kenya National Highways Authority

Progress on the Sh12 billion Turbi-Moyale Road, the last phase of the Mombasa–Nairobi–Addis Ababa Road Corridor Development project is now 40 per cent complete.

Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) says movement of goods and services will be greatly enhanced once this stretch is fixed.

The road works, launched by former President Mwai Kibaki in October 2012 is on course, despite terrain challenges.
The Turbi–Moyale road road, which terminates at the border with Ethiopia in Moyale town is financed by the African Development Bank(AfDB). It is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

KeNHA says the major works completed at the moment include 62 km of earthworks improved sub-grade, 54.5 Km of sub-base, 45.74 Km of Base and 41.53 Km prime coat. Others include 40.01 Km asphalt surfacing, 54 pipe culverts and 182 box culvert locations. Other scope of works include construction of roadside amenities including car parking, basic facilities for travellers at three locations and construction to bitumen standards of an 8-kilometre access road to Sololo centre. Others are the construction of a One-Stop Border Post at Moyale, a weighbridge, bridges, culverts and corresponding drainage works.

The road is also expected to open up new trade opportunities with Ethiopia and champion development in the semi-arid areas, once dotted by run away crime. The Turbi-Moyale Road will also improve trade between the two countries, and contribute to an increase in the volume of Ethiopian goods transiting through the port of Mombasa.

The road once completed will also result in reduction of transport costs, shortening of transit times for imports and exports, and reduce vehicle operating costs.