Six-lane Mombasa-Nairobi Highway bidding to start

The Government has announced plans to partner with the private sector to build a six-lane highway from Mombasa to Nairobi are at an advanced stage.

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said the project is bankable and that private sector players will be invited to express interest in the mega project.

Speaking at a Nairobi hotel during the Nairobi Business Stakeholders luncheon hosted by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the CS said the six-lane road and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) will link Nairobi with the Port of Mombasa, and ease traffic flow besides shortening the time taken for cargo to reach Nairobi and the region.

Mr Macharia said the project is part of the Government’s initiatives to expand road infrastructure to complement the upgrading of the railway line to SGR and the expansion of the Port of Mombasa and Lamu Port.

“The port cannot be seen in isolation – it should be seen as an integral part of infrastructure development,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

He added that to improve access to the Second Container Terminal at the Port of Mombasa and to avoid the congestion at Changamwe area, a new road was being built from Port Reitz to the Second Container Terminal.

“The road is a 10.5 km dual carriageway and is expected to be completed by 18th May, 2018 at a cost of Sh11 billion,” he said.

Macharia outlined the need to build special economic zones and inland container terminals to take advantage of the new infrastructure network.

Transport Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera urged  business stakeholders to be cognizant of the need to change their business models to match the country’s dynamic growth.