Deloitte bags multi-billion shillings Nyali Bridge consultancy contract

NAIROBI: Professional services firm, Deloitte has bagged the lucrative tender to serve as lead transaction advisors for the Government in the construction of the proposed second Nyali Bridge, which is expected to link Mombasa Island to the North Coast.

Under the terms of the contract, the consulting firm would undertake a feasibility study, prepare tendering documents and advise on procurement of the project on behalf of the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA).

The second Nyali Bridge project is anticipated to connect Mombasa Island with the North mainland and ease congestion on the existing Nyali Bridge making traffic less dependent on a single channel crossing.

“A second bridge connecting the city of Mombasa is a priority project for the Government as we move to de-congest the 2nd largest city in the country,” Acting KURA Director General Eng. Peter Mundinia said.

Deloitte Director for Infrastructure and Capital Projects, John Ponsonby said the first part of the assignment, that is, the feasibility study, would take six months with the procurement of the project undertaken thereafter. “We clearly understand how much the people of Mombasa and Kenyans in general are keen to have this project implemented. Accordingly, we shall endeavour to meet the strict timelines we have committed ourselves to,” said Mr. Ponsonby.

The second Nyali Bridge is part of the 59 energy and infrastructure projects the Government expects to implement in a new Public-Private Partnerships model over the next five years.

The projects include a total of 2,300 MW geothermal projects by the Geothermal Development Company, dualling of the Mombasa - Nairobi and Nakuru - Nairobi highways and the construction of the Nairobi commuter rail services.

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Other projects that have been cleared include solid waste management systems for Nairobi, Nakuru and Mombasa, construction of a sea port in Kisumu, Lamu and a second container terminal in Mombasa and housing projects for prison and police staff.

According to National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich Kenya “is keen to tap the private sector to bridge infrastructure financing deficit”.

“We have a huge infrastructure deficit and it is important that we fill it. The demand for the infrastructure and especially better roads is very high mainly because of economic growth both in the country and our neighbours,” he said recently.

According to Rotich, Kenya’s annual infrastructure budgetary deficit currently stands at around Sh184b ($2 billion).