President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday launched the construction of a road to link Mombasa port and Moi International Airport, a project ...
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday launched the construction
of a road to link Mombasa port and Moi International Airport, a project
expected to spur trade in the East African region by decongesting the
coastal city and linking to the newly constructed container terminal.
The
Sh3.1 billion road project, jointly funded by Kenya (Sh1.1 billion) and
the British government through the Department for International
Development (Sh2 billion), will see Port Reitz road turned into a dual
carriageway from the Port of Mombasa to Moi airport.
Speaking
during the launch, President Kenyatta said when completed the road will
not only increase investment and trade opportunities in the East and
Central Africa region but it will also boost growth of the tourism
industry.
“When the number of
visitors to this city grows, more job opportunities will be created and
the youth will benefit,” President Kenyatta said.
Another Sh2.5 billion has been set aside to compensate people who have been moved to create room for expansion of the road.
The
project is also jointly funded by the British government through
TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) to the tune of Sh2.7 billion while the
Kenyan government will compensate land owners at the cost of Sh2.5
billion.
This is the first phase of a
Sh8 billion project that will see construction of roads in Changamwe,
Port Reitz and Magongo, according to outgoing TMEA country director Dr
Chris Kiptoo.
The
president thanked the British and Japanese governments for supporting
projects in the country. Japan is funding construction of the second
container terminal.
Cabinet Secretary
for Transport and Infrastructure James Macharia said that improvement
of road network linking the airport and port improve traffic flow in
Mombasa and the entire transport corridor.
“Specifically,
the link will serve as a key catalyst to improving cargo handling
capacity of the port of Mombasa in order to adequately serve Kenya’s
growing economy as well as retaining the Port of Mombasa as the
preferred port of use by the neighbouring economies,” he said.
British
High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey said his government will continue
working closely with Kenya to achieve its development agenda.
“The
UK is proud to support the Mombasa port modernisation project. It will
reduce the cost of doing business, improve infrastructure, and boost
trade and economic growth in the EAC. This is a critical road. Our
support, in partnership with and fitting with the overall vision of the
Kenyan government, will benefit the population of Mombasa and reduce the
cost of goods to millions of EAC residents,” he said.
Other
road projects within the coastal city, the President said, include
dualling of the Mombasa-Mariakani Highway, Dongo Kundu Bypass and
Mombasa Northern Bypass.
Once the
project is completed, the transport and movement in Mombasa County will
ease significantly, boosting industrial development and reducing the
cost of transport.
The president was
accompanied by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, National Land Commission
chairman Muhammad Swazuri, Cabinet Secretaries James Macharia (Transport
and Infrastructure), Najib Balala (Tourism), Dan Kazungu (Mining),
Henry Rotich (Treasury) and Rachael Omamo (Defense).
Mr
Joho said the county government would collaborate with the national
government to ensure that development projects are implemented.
“Mine
is to re-affirm our commitment as the county government that we will do
all that we will be required to do so that we expedite these process of
the sake of our people,” said Mr Joho.
He
noted that compensation of land owners was too high, and appealed to
them to consider giving a “discount” because if a road was constructed
it would also benefit them as Kenya citizens.
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