China Wu Yi bags Sh16b contract for Nairobi- Naivasha road expansion

The Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) has awarded a Sh16.4 billion contract to China Wu Yi for the expansion of the James Gichuru-Mai Mahi road.

The reconstruction of the 25 kilometer road is expected to ease congestion on the busy highway that serves as the gateway for transporting goods into the region.

KeNHA Director General Peter Mundinia said the major works that will be undertaken on the road section by the Chinese firm will include reconstruction of the 25 kilometer dual carriageway highway with 3 lanes of each carriageway.

China Wu Yi will also construct 13 bridges at interchange locations as well as 21 pedestrian overpasses and five underpasses.

Pedestrians using the road have had a hard time crossing and have often resorted to making speedy, dangerous dashes across the busy highway.

The project is part of the National Urban Transport Improvement Project (NUTRIP) being jointly funded by the World Bank and the government. The NUTRIP project also involves the conversion of the 45.2 kilometer road between the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Rironi into a superhighway.

Mr Mundinia said the authority plans to resettle those affected by the expansion of the road.

“The resettlement action plan will be carried out in the next 12 weeks,” he said.

The project is expected to take 36 months to complete.

Works on the road will also include construction of 44 kilometers of service roads and the construction of non-motorized transport lanes on either side of the entire length of highway to enhance road users’ safety.

The communities along the road will also benefit from an additional paving of 16 kilometers of collector roads.

Reporting by Karen Mwaniki