State gets Sh76b to link Eldoret to South Sudan

The Government has received a loan of Sh76 billion from two foreign financiers for the construction of a road that will connect Kenya to South Sudan.

The loan, which was given to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) by the World Bank and KFW, a development bank owned by the German government, will be added to the funds set aside to construct a road from Eldoret town to Kenya’s border with South Sudan.

In an exclusive interview with Business Beat, KeNHA Acting Director General Linus Tonui said the entire project would cost about Sh100 billion.

The World Bank has already committed $500 million (Sh51.2 billion) for half the road. The financing agreement between the Government and the bank is to be signed at the end of the month, Mr Tonui said.

KFW is contributing Sh25 billion, with the Government expecting to complete the remaining section of the road using funds from “other financiers”.

“We want our roads to serve South Sudan. We are the ones who negotiated for peace and yet it’s other people enjoying trade with that country. We are not engaging in trade with them because of our bad roads,” said Tonui.

Other projects

He added that the authority is also improving several other roads across the country, including the section between Athi River and the Machakos turn-off.

There are also plans to have a by-pass constructed between Nairobi’s Panari Hotel and Westlands area.

“If you have no business in town, you will by-pass it through an elevated portion, and come down after Museum Hill and proceed,” Tonui said.

KeNHA is also working on a road from Malindi to Lunga Lunga, with construction from Mariakani to the southern part of Mombasa already underway.

“We want to connect the southern part of Mombasa through the mainland. We have already packaged that project into three sections. Package one has already begun, and will serve the new Kipevu terminal,” he said.

“Package two will go across the sea to Dongo Kundu, which is a free trade area, and will be developed by another Government body.”

From Dongo Kundu, the road will ultimately lead to Lunga Lunga.

“We are soon finalising financing for the two sections,” said Tonui.

The road to the Mombasa International Airport is also being improved, and will be turned into a dual carriageway, as will the road from Mombasa through Changamwe and Mariakani.

“We are already in the procurement stage. We have the financing from the African Development Bank, KFW, the European Investment Bank and the EU,” Tonui said.

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