KeNHA earmarks Sh17.9b for Lamu-Ijara-Garissa road
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) will spend Sh17.9 billion to construct a major highway linking Garissa and the coastal city of Lamu.
The A10 road will comprise 257 km Lamu-Ijara-Garissa, 113 km Hindi-Bodhei-Basuba to Kiunga section and 83 km of Ijara-Sangula to Hulugo section.
“The 453 kilometre project will be implemented at a cost of Sh17.9 billion, and will take 36 months to construct,” said Peter Mundinia, the KeNHA Director General on the authority’s twitter handle.
Tender documents between KeNHA and the Chinese firm were signed yesterday at the KeNHA offices.
The project, when complete, will cut through the picturesque Boni ecosystem, boosting areas security and tourism.
In addition, the infrastructure development is also expected to open up the Northern Frontier Districts to socio-economic opportunities.
According to KeNHA, the 114 km Garsen-Witu-Lamu road project, which is anticipated to greatly open up the Lamu county in time for operationalisation of the Lamu Port is 87 per cent complete.
The authority said it plans to construct roadside stations that will have truck stops, parking, rest areas, and accomodation facilities.
“The proposed locations for the stations are Hindi/Mokowe, Ijara, Garissa, isiolo, Marsabit, Turbi, Moyale, Wajir and Buna,” said KeNHA.
“We are also constructing a 10 km access road to the Lamu Port, which will facilitate the movement of cargo in and out of the port, a project that is 88 per cent complete,” KeNHA said.
Through its components- the Lamu Port, regional highways and a railway line, oil pipelines, refineries and resort cities in Lamu, Isiolo and Lake Turkana, the Sh2.4 trillion Lapset project is expected to generate at least 3 per cent of Kenya’s gross domestic product.
