The proposed Mombasa-Nairobi Expressway will bypass the capital city to branch off just past Konza and terminate onto the Nakuru highway in Kikuyu, design maps of the high-speed road have revealed.
The Sh300 billion expressway, to be built by American conglomerate Bechtel, is set to start any time after June according to project documents seen by the Business Daily.
It will turn off before reaching Athi River, cut through Ongata Rongai and Ngong to join the Nairobi-Nakuru highway in Kikuyu town
An offshoot of the expressway will pass through Kisaju and Isinya areas, snaking its way to Maai Mahiu to serve travellers to Western Kenya.
Bechtel, a US-based private construction conglomerate, won the multi-billion-shilling contract in a government-to-government deal that formed part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s discussions with President Donald Trump during his US visit last year. 22 interchanges
The first detailed map of the expressway also shows that the 525-kilometres road will have 22 inter-changes with a total length of 48 kilometres and another 189 kilometres of paved roads, making more than 700kms of construction.
The speedway will run largely parallel to the current Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
The loop around Nairobi links up with the expanded Nakuru highway in what signals an intention to connect the Coast to the Western parts of the country.
The plan to build an offshoot to Maai Mahiu was arrived at in October 2018, as per timelines showed in the documents.
Kenya National Highways Authority assistant director of corporate communications Charles Njogu said the State agency could not comment on the designs as discussions about the expressway are ‘still ongoing.’
“The whole idea to decongest the city remains central even as we conceive the expressway design. We will give a final overview of the project when we are ready. Remember this was a design and build deal much as KenHa was still central to its implementation,” Mr Njogu said.
Transport and Infrastructure Secretary James Macharia had not responded to our queries on why the mega highway was designed to bypass the capital.
It’s been a while since I was on Mombasa road, lakini Nairobi Nakuru and Kenol Sagana highways were needed yesterday. If Mombasa road is the same, then the answer is yes.
Pricing is a different matter, I think hizi PPP are on the high side
Is there any single project that you can attribute to Uhuru as a legacy? bypasses, SGR were Kibaki projects all Uhuru did was to inflate figures. Now you know why the Expressway must start in June.
First, Bechtel will build this road using funds given to them directly by usa gov. Its not a loan and GoK isn’t funding anything. So the risk is on their side not ours. They will fund, build, operate, charge users and maintain it for 25 years. After 25 years its transferred free to government.
Viability is debatable now but by the time its built and completed then there will be a need for it. KPA Kilindini port handled 24 million tons of cargo in 2018. Its cargo growth increases by an average of 11% annually for the last decade. In those 4 years of construction the port will add a further 10 million tons. There will be enough cargo for SGR, this tolled expressway and the free current public road between Mombasa and Nairobi. They will also build 4 SEZ industrial hub for manufacturing that will use this express road to transport goods to the port for export. This has been the conclusion of several feasibility studies on the route for SGR and now usa Bechtel own report. This is uncle sam attempt to keep up with Beijing and we are the beneficiaries. From Kikuyu this express road will link up with the French express toll road up to Total on the junction of Uasin Gishu and Kericho counties. That will be half way to Malaba. Let them build.
But the Government provides the land , where is the corridor unless the same government will compensate ( more eating) all those affected. Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,
Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,Priorities,
The one detail PPPs want to remain hidden is that the government will be topping up the toll fee if their expected returns are not met. This means that the government better be sure that there is market for the services otherwise it will end up paying for any shortfalls. The fact that the highway was unsolicited means someone else came up with idea.
we the ‘on the ground populace’ only need threeo things …constant water supply throughout the year ,cheaper power & affordable housing (like 800k for a 2br) …the rest will fall in place by themselves …izi zingine ni meffi
The funding hasn’t been decided. But Betchel has changed tunes for the funding to be hybrid.
Which means either GOK will have to pick up the tab…
If the run the road for 25 years how well will they maintain the road? Especially in maintenance every year, every 2 or every 5 years? And seeing how bad Kenyan drivers are how well will truck traffic be separated from the main road?
Treasury isn’t taking a tab on anything. This is at the bottom of the priority list. Their is no budget item for it even in the proposed budget estimate of 2019-2020 in KeNHA, NLC for land acquisition and ministry of Transport. The usa will have to pay for everything or it will join the list of another high profile render project.
Then wajuwe mahali wataomba pesa, that hybrid proposal is all in their end. I repeat their is zero allocation from Treasury in the next budget for a usa express road. If they don’t provide the funding then we will continue just talking for another year as usual and nothing gets done as well.
Its simple Bechtel pays for it or the usa gov in full or no express way. They already tried that trick last year of putting President Uhuru in the oval office with trump and a eager press. He didn’t sign that loan 300 billion agreement. They came back this year with a hybrid PPP agreement. Exim usa funds Bechtel to build and maintain the express way. Another usa company will build the toll stations to collect the fees and repay the loan. The only money going to usa from Treasury is government leasing dreamliners for KQ.
