State to construct 6000km of roads in the next five years

The government has announced plans to construct 6000km of roads in the next five years across the country. 

Roads Principal Secretary Joseph Mbugua said this will spur the country's socio-economic growth and eradicate poverty,

Mbugua said the project will be funded through public-private partnerships as well as the exchequer.

"The state department plans to construct 6000km of roads, comprising 3500km under convention method, 2500km under fuel levy, urban and highway roads maintenance will consist of routine maintenance of the nation's trunk roads and urban roads network," he said.  

"This will be anchored on several aspects of resources, some of which will be public-private partnership and also exchequer resources from the Treasury," he added.

The PS spoke on Thursday during a national stakeholders' workshop for the Ministry of Roads and Transport 2023-2027 Strategic Plan at Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi. 

He noted that the plan integrates Vision 2030 for the medium-term plan, Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (Beta) as well as other regional and international blueprints for sustainable development.   

Mbugua said the draft plan falls short of the accomplishment of the previous plan, which saw 7,530km of roads constructed across the country. 

"Under the East Africa road network projects, 427km of roads were achieved through construction of various transport corridors including Kisi-Ahero, Isebania-Kisii and Kitale-Endebes roads," he said. 

When ratified, the PS said the plan will focus on governance policies, regulatory framework and infrastructure as well as the provision of solutions to challenges of vandalism and theft, land acquisition, litigation and budgetary constraints.  

"The plan will focus on modernisation of equipment, systems of air navigation, construction of air traveling towers, new terminals, expansion of airstrips, and expanding the runway," he said. 

To curb the rising road carnage, the Ministry is establishing a road safety agency to investigate the cases.

This is one of the measures announced by Roads Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to address rising cases of road accidents, including the return of National Transport and Safety Authority officers on the roads. 

"We are putting an agency to be responsible for accident investigation in the entire transport sector, we will have one agency and their approval has been granted by the Cabinet," Transport PS Mohamed Daghar, said.

The country has witnessed rising cases of road accidents with the latest one involving a Kenyatta University bus and a truck along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway where 11 students lost their lives on March 18.

"The agency will be responsible for service delivery and also undertake investigations on the cause of accidents," PS Daghar said.

He said the Ministry will also conduct road safety audits and inspections to strengthen the road safety enforcement system.

The PS called on stakeholders in the transport sector to collaborate in ensuring road safety and protection of lives on the roads.